


A Family Tale

by monekosensei



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Western, F/M, Family, Gakutsumu, I promise many riku and 10knee moments, IDOLiSH7 and TRIGGER as GakuTsumu kids, Please don't laugh at their names, Yaotomeme for life, anesagi as the head maid, yuki momo banri as butler-like people coz why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-01-25 09:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 33,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21353665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monekosensei/pseuds/monekosensei
Summary: Tsumugi and Gakphonse had everything in the world, except for their dream: to have a kid. Little did they know that life would give them more than what they wished for in the form of 9 children with different backgrounds and differing personalities that would bring color to the Idoltrigvale household.
Relationships: Takanashi Tsumugi/Yaotome Gaku
Comments: 28
Kudos: 41





	1. The Couple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ This concept is actually the very first GakuTsumu story that I have in mind, but the episodes in my head were overflowing that I reached a dramatic turn of events lol so I had to refresh my sanity T__T I was also having a hard time on choosing Western names, especially for Tsumugi!! Q_Q Then, just recently, I found the Garden Tea Party cards and oh my cat, I’m so thankful for the names, though they are kinda parody, at least the setting resembles my story theme @_@

Since it has been ages when Gakphonse returned home earlier than usual from a mission, he intended to surprise his lovely wife, Tsumugi, with the limited spring edition of the strawberry cake from her favorite café.

“Welcome back–”

“Shh.” He hushed Yukieu, his right-hand man, from further announcing his arrival. The gray-haired man observed what his master was carrying with him. The thought of this busy man’s surprise for the lady of the household made him relieved that he was serving the right person. He then gestured that the lady was at their room.

Cannot wait to watch his wife’s enjoyment to his heart’s content, he went upstairs. He carefully opened the doorknob, making sure it won’t make a sound. When he saw a familiar figure at the terrace, wearing a lonely mien as her gaze followed the noise outside, he put the cake first on the round center table. 

She might be thinking of it. Again.

Sliding his arms around her waist from behind, he rested his chin above her head. It was a perfect proportion if you’d ask him.

“Tsumugi, I brought you a cake.”

He was expecting her to leap a little, but she only relaxed her back on his chest. It was as if the weight of her body was badly in need of a support.

“They are the limited spring edition that you’ve been waiting for.”

As her husband, he knew that she needed more than a physical support. What was necessary at that moment was his presence, which he wanted her to feel. 

“Honey…”

She finally spoke, though the term of endearment was full of vulnerability. She turned around and faced him with a shrinking confidence in her eyes.

“I’m sorry for being your wife.”

Her diffidence grew more in aura and he knew he just had to make her believe in him. He planted a long, securing kiss on her forehead.

“Now, now, why are you thinking about that? Marrying you is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“But it’s because of me that you cannot become the king…”

He then caressed her face. It was naturally soft even without the gloves on his hands, though he hoped the softness was not a result of a river of tears while he was gone for several days.

“Being your husband is a title a million times honorable than being the king.”

“You don’t deserve me…I’m just a plain country girl–”

He lightly pressed his lips on hers to cease her from belittling herself.

“Tsumugi, it’s not a matter of who deserves who. If I were to live again, I’ll definitely search the world to give you my love.”

At least, that one came across her. She eventually smiled, but her touch on his face sent another uneasiness. His instincts were becoming more cognizant of her next words. He took her hand and kissed the top of it before pulling her in a warm embrace.

“Just…why can’t I give you a child…?”

And there she blurted it. It was not even half a minute that he felt the dampness of her tears on his chest.

“Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt anyone for me to be punished like this? I just want to have a family, a happily family. It hurts. It hurts so much…I feel so useless…”

“Don’t say like it’s your fault.”

“But it’s just impossible that it’s you who–”

“Then what if it’s really me?”

At that moment, it was his turn to show him his frail side. He was still smiling at her, but the hands that were reassuring her earlier were trembling, just like how his eyes were trying hard to be strong enough to hold back the feeble emotions dwelling inside the depths of his character.

Gakphonse was born from the Idoltrigvale family, which held the pride of mighty generals. At such a young age, he began leading expeditions and served as the front liner in wars. Everyone thought that he would be extending his career in the military as a future commander-in-chief of the dukedom, but he shook the world around him when he announced his marriage to a humble household.

Tsumugi was from a family of farmers, with a mixed blood of an Orient. At first glance, people would depict her as an average lady but for the village in the western estate, she was an active handmaid of the angels in helping the poor. Her father, Otoharu, loved to reach out to charities for the marginalized members of the society as he was once in that situation. She was taken aback when the young knight, hailed as the most eligible bachelor of the dukedom and the most popular talk of all the girls from every town corner, asked her hand for marriage. 

In fact, she promptly rejected him, saying that she was unfit for such a capable man; that her family didn’t possess influential powers in favor of his status, politically speaking. She also added that she didn’t like publicity and would prefer to stay behind the shadows. However, he didn’t falter and sought her persuasively, up to the point that he would work with the farmers and assist in the volunteer works for the charities in her hometown.

During their first few married months, they decided to enjoy more each other’s company. They traveled across countries and sent help to those in need. Among the extravagant parties they were invited to, it was only the emperor’s hosted banquet that they would attend. When the time came for the both of them to grant their dream of blooming their love, sadly, it couldn’t be fulfilled. Yukieu, as someone who was a witness of their journey, suggested that they seek medical assistance, but neither entertained the idea. It wasn’t like they were afraid to hear the truth, but they couldn’t just manage watching either one of them bearing the burden if it really happened to be the case: that one of them is barren.

Right now, they have been married for two years. They didn’t stop trying, but they didn’t also stop accepting failures.

When the man becomes weak, it is the woman who has to stand for him. Tsumugi gently wiped the trickles of tears and kissed both his eyes like sealing a chant.

“So this is how you feel when I’m like this…”

He grabbed her hands and pressed them on his cheeks. With a slightly furrowed pair of eyebrows and apprehensive voice, he pouted at her.

“Do you still love this fragile man?”

His childish tone made her giggle. 

“If he would eat the cake with me!”

At last, he could envision the flowers engulfing her bright emanation. He couldn’t help himself to have his fair taste of her sweet smile. She allowed herself to be spoiled with his charming behavior. She wrapped her arms around his neck so it would be easier for her to return the sweetness. Not long after, she felt an arm under her knees until her body was fully carried in a bridal style.

He was still not letting her lips go. Truly, his kiss was getting deeper as he took footsteps toward their bed. But Tsumugi would die from the all-out sweetness any moment by now.

“W-wait, let’s eat the cake first…,” she was gasping for air. And it would take a while to breathe more because her lips were only an inch away from his.

“Can’t I eat you first?”

“B-b-b-b-but…!”

Her cute reaction earned a very amused laughter. As if he had already today’s fill, he kissed her one last time and put her down, his arm around her waist to help her maintain balance.

“I’m just kidding. I’m pretty hungry though.”

And so their day went on with savoring the strawberry cake’s delicious taste, partnered with Tsumugi’s own tea recipe that boosted the spring breeze’s refreshing companionship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t kill me for that Idoltrigvale surname coz what else should I combine OTL…
> 
> I really had a hard time writing the fluff coz that’s most likely the first and last fluff of this story LOL but yeah, I wonder who their first adopted kid will be… UwU 
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


	2. Tennard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ I’m very motivated right now after my very lovely friends, France and Dana, read my works >//w//< I also cannot concentrate with my JLPT 5 reviews since my mind has been occupied by this story lol OTL…YOSH!! LEZ GOOOO!!!

“Goooooood moooorning, Lady Tsumtsum!!!!!!” 

A young man in a brown coat waiting by the carriage greeted from afar with his full energy, both hands waving in the air.

“Good morning as well, Momorle!” Tsumugi greeted back modestly. She was wearing a white blouse with a pink ribbon which matched the color of her long skirt. Her hair was tied in a simple bun.

Momorle was originally a commoner who wanted to join the knighthood. Like most male teenagers, he was heavily inspired by Gakphonse’s reputation and dreamed to be like him, especially when he declared his dedication in being an ally of prudence.

_“I neither serve the king nor the imperial family. I serve the empire by defending our people. What makes the empire live up to its righteousness is the everyday lives and activities that everyone, be it a commoner or a noble, has been performing. We support each other by these means. Kings and queens come and go, but the generations of our people will always remain as the bloodline of our empire.”_

Momorle’s parents, who were also moved by Gakphonse’s declaration, were supportive of his dream. They worked thrice as much as they normally did in order to make their livestock business boom, hoping that they could earn enough money to enroll him in an honorable school for knights. It was all good until an animal plague struck the rural areas, affecting some of their farm animals. Despite his strategic wittiness and physical agility that made him qualified to enter an honorable school, he couldn’t afford to enroll and leave his parents in a tight situation. In the end, he chose to be a man of labor to assist his parents in retrieving their loss. 

But Gakphonse, as one of the observers in every knight school’s assessment examination, took note of the teenager’s upright decision. Saying that it would be a waste to set aside his potential, he hired him as the household’s footman under Yukieu’s supervision. Furthermore, he would be training under the respected general himself.

A few years passed and Momorle earned Gakphonse’s trust, appointing him to be Tsumugi’s personal attendant when she came to the household. He was also close enough with Yukieu to tease him every day without angering the silver-haired man.

“That’s not how you greet the lady of the household, Momorle,” Yukieu, from behind, reminded the younger man with a smack on his head. At least, in Momorle’s defense, Yukieu was not getting mad at him.

“Ow–Yukieu!! Is that my breakfast for today?” Momorle rubbed the back of his head. 

“If you insist a side dish–”

“Oi, you two, stop now,” a pink-haired woman wearing a bloody red dress with a blouse-like top and long sleeves beside Tsumugi warned. She was holding a pink-laced umbrella, covering the blond-haired lady. “Madam Tsumugi just had her skin treated last night. Don’t make her wait under the bad sunlight. Don’t you know that past 8 a.m. is already harmful?”

“Eh…really? I thought it’s past 10 a.m. when the sun gets bolder in rays,” Momorle wondered innocently as he opened the carriage’s door.

“Madam Tsumugi’s skin is special,” she countered as she adjusted the umbrella’s position.

“Ah, now that you mention it, Duke Gakphonse’s skin is also special,” Yukieu added. “He becomes a tomato under the sun.”

“Yup, yup!! And when it’s super-duper hot, he’s like a classic roasted lobster fresh from the sea,” Momorle acknowledged with his confidence in knowing Gakphonse quite well.

“W-what are you two talking about in front of Madam!?”

“Hahaha! Don’t worry, Anesagi, I think they are right! His skin is so sensitive that he will only choose a five-star restaurant to put him in a tank haha!”

“If Madam says so…,” she resigned.

“Anyway, Lady Tsumugi, are you sure I do not need to come with you?” Yukieu asked as he supported Tsumugi and Anesagi in entering the carriage.

“Mhmm! Just kindly inform my husband that I’ll be in the town center with Anesagi and Momorle.”

“Alright.”

“Hey, Yukieu!! Tell the Duke that she’s with the most awesome footman in the empire so he doesn’t have to worry!” Momorle shouted from the front of the carriage, preparing to bond with the two horses, a black and a white one.

“Well, if you’re gonna say that to Sir Gakphonse, you might as well mention that Madam is with the most elegant head maid in the entire universe!”

“...So, Anesagi, are you really a woman?”

Deepening the tone of her voice, she glanced at him and answered, “Are you prepared for my answer?”

With the very bright ambience coming from them, Tsumugi couldn’t help to laugh. Momorle’s and Anesagi’s vibrant personalities were really helpful ever since she was still adjusting in her new lifestyle until now. It was also Yukieu’s composed mien that would set the balance, especially when his unpredictable responses were surprisingly not awkward but mixing with the joyful atmosphere.

“We’ll be on our way now, Yukieu!!”

Momorle announced their departure. The two ladies inside the carriage waved at the man outside who responded with a bow.

* * *

Upon arriving at the town center, Momorle parked the carriage on a public stable nearby the market. “There we go!! Lady Tsumtsum!! Lady Anesagi!! I’ll just wait here!!”

“Then please use this for your convenience while you’re waiting.” Tsumugi handed a pocket of gold coins to him with a big smile on her face.

“I can’t accept it, Lady Tsumtsum!”

“Hmm?” Tsumugi’s smile widen, as if it was a harmless threat.

“Lady Tsumtsum’s kindness always wins…,” he finally admitted. He hesitantly took the coins from her.

“Why not buy some stuff for your parents, Momorle? Anesagi will have some materials delivered today if I remember.”

“Speaking of that, does Madam mind if I head off first to the boutique? Some orphanages requested for a new stock of medicines,” Anesagi asked as she flipped her to-do list notebook.

“Then I’ll be on my way to the café! Let’s meet here at lunch time, okay?”

“Oookay!!” The young man ran off happily to the opposite side of the market. He was probably going to the livestock area to send new supplies for their animals.

“I’ll be going now, Ma–”

“Wait, Anesagi! Take this too,” Tsumugi grabbed her hand and placed a pocket of gold coins on her palm.

“Oh my...,” Anesagi whispered as she didn’t expect the deed. “I’m really glad that you’re Sir Gakphonse’s wife!” She suddenly threw her arms around the smaller lady in form.

Tsumugi formed a very wonderful friendship with Anesagi who used to serve her father-in-law, Sousuke. According to her, she was also able to witness Gakphonse’s growth from a hard-headed and rebellious boy during his puberty up to the phase when he continuously asked for her pieces of advice to drive Tsumugi’s attention to his dedication in truly giving his world to her. Long story short, she played a significant role in tying their red string of fate.

“And I’m very thankful that you’re with me!” Tsumugi hugged her back like a child who was proud to cling onto her parent. Before Anesagi bid her farewell, she handed Tsumugi’s umbrella and khaki coat.

And so the blond lady headed to her favorite café to buy more cakes. This time, she planned on checking out the chocolate flavored cake displayed on their recent flyer. If it passes her standards, she’d bring home a dozen of its full round size, enough to share with the household servants.

The sun was getting more fired up. She was about to open her umbrella when someone bumped against her hips. She lost her grip on the umbrella, making it fall on the bricked ground. When she turned around to get it, there were black blots across its one portion.

“Ah! I’m sorry!” A tiny voice apologized. Sensing that the child would pick up the bottle that caused the black spots on her umbrella, she promptly crouched in front of him and held him on his arms.

“Don’t mind it! It’s just an umbrella!” 

She assured the tiny figure in front of him with a peaceful smile. As she observed from the kid’s pale face, thin arms, ragged clothes, and tattered slippers, he was definitely neglected. And that was unhealthy for her heart.

“But your umbrella looks expensive…I don’t think I can pay for its cost…,” he answered weakly. His gaze was focused on the pink item turning into black.

“What’s important to me is you’re not hurt. I’m relieved that you didn’t trip over, but if you go near there, you’ll have fragments wound your hand,” she explained calmly, smile not fading away.

Finally, she was able to see the child’s lips form a curve as well. “Thank you, Miss. You’re very nice–”

It was only a few seconds of Tsumugi enjoying his gentle smile when an irritating high-pitched voice kept screaming from behind.

“HEY, KID!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! HURRY UP AND GO OVER THERE AND CLEAN SHOES!!!”

As the voluptuous lady went nearer them, the sight of a broken shoe shiner bottle, tainted shoe brush, and scattered white cloths horrified her. “OH MY GOD!!! WHAT DID YOU DO!!!”

“Umm…I’ll…,” the kid attempted to escape Tsumugi’s grasp to clean the mess. But the lady was not letting go of him. He stared at her with a mix of confusion from her action and of fright because of the woman who was erupting like an active volcano. With all the nutrients left under his bones, he only managed to free his left arm before he turned around to the raging woman.

“HOW WILL YOU PAY ME FOR THIS!!!??? DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO GET MAD!!!???”

“No, I’m…,” his voice in an increasing intonation instantly replied but he was unable to say the rest of his sentence when he saw that the woman had her arm raised already. Instincts taking over him, he suddenly had his other arm freed from Tsumugi’s grasp, lifting now his both arms to protect himself from the woman’s palm, which was wide open and ready to land either on his cheek or scalp.

Closing his eyes, the boy silently apologized, “S-sorry…!”

But nothing happened.

The boy slowly opened his eyes and put his arms down. He saw that the lady, the nicer one, performed a hi-five in the air.

And the world ceased to function to comprehend Tsumugi’s action.

Until the other party was blazed again. “What…WHAT THE–“

“Madame, not only that you’re scaring the child but you’re also attracting attention…,” Tsumugi timidly defended. Since her back was facing the kid, she just gestured with her hand to come closer behind her. When he was already near, she grabbed his hand firmly, making sure that this time, she wouldn’t lose her grip.

“I DON’T CARE!!! THAT BOY IS USELESS!!! I NEED MY MONEY BACK!!!”

Tsumugi inhaled deeply and exhaled all the ill-temperance inside her. Using her free hand, she took out ten gold coins from her skirt’s pocket and presented them to the lady.

“Is this enough to buy new materials?” She asked with an ultimately forced stretch on her lips.

The other woman’s eyes twinkled at the shining golds. She nodded like a broken troll doll. “O-o-o-oh…Yes, it is.”

“Then please take these, Madam,” Tsumugi placed the coins on the woman’s palms which were positioned like she would be splashing the coins on her face.

“Thank–”

“And never show your face neither in front of me nor this child’s,” with a chilly voice and aura that contradicted the angelic look on her face, Tsumugi warded off the lady, who wanted to spit out something but was already shaking at the spiking glare and proud posture from her. She also stared at the crowd around them, sending them the signal to mind their own business already because the show was over. As if everybody received an order from the high heavens, they silently carried on, including the once oozing lava lady who was now fleeing from the scene.

The boy, who didn’t bear witness to her actions that proved her worthiness as the lady of the Idoltrigvale household, tried to speak with the quiet Tsumugi.

“Umm…M-miss…”

Tsumugi slowly spun around and crouched in front of him once more. She looked at him with a pair of encouraging eyes and an approachable smile to speak more.

“The umbrella and the coins earlier…I don’t have money to pay you back...,” he sadly confessed. His gaze dropped on the ground. All of a sudden, he felt his body surrounded with warmth. A pair of gentle hands was holding the back of his head and lower back.

“M-miss..?” His hands were clutched on his chest, shoulders slightly raised.

“It’s alright now.”

As if her words were a magical spell, the boy began sniffling. Tsumugi knew well what would come next. After all, this was a familiar scenario for her. Children at the orphanages and charity events were longing for security and love, which seemed to be so scarce from people who had almost everything in their hands.

Nevertheless, the boy was not subjected to what she was familiarized with. He didn’t shed tears and that was something new to her. When she pulled away to check his reaction, she found him biting his lower lip and gulping consecutively.

“Oops! My bad, you must be shocked haha!” She tried to ease the tensed kid by patting his head. He seemed to have something to say, but every time he opened his mouth, he would also shut it.

“Come on, don’t be shy. What is it?”

“I’m…”

“You’re…?”

On spur of the moment, his stomach growled. That made him blow his cheeks, which Tsumugi found very adorable.

“Oh, then why don’t we eat together?”

The kid’s eyes grew large. He continuously shook his head at her. “N-no! I can’t!”

“But why not? Don’t worry, I’m not a bad person,” she tried to convince him. Of course, one of the moral lessons every parent teaches their kids is the rule about strangers.

“Because I’m dirty…”

Nowhere in any restaurant or café would one find someone who was from the bottomest, if such word existed, of the bottom of the social class. And so, Tsumugi rested her hands on his shoulders and suggested, “We can eat outside, right?”

From the kid’s perspective, Tsumugi was a creature with real wings and halo.

* * *

“T-thank you for the food!” The kid said before he took a bite of his chocolate donut.

“Enjoy the food, okay? There are still many to dig in!” Tsumugi assured him as she placed boxes of cake, cooked meals, vegetable salads, and rice on the ground that was covered with her coat. She was grateful that the forested vicinity of the central park was not yet crowded, allowing them to enjoy the springtime’s weather under the shade of amiable trees.

“Delicious…,” he remarked with his gaze fully concentrated on the donut.

Hoping that it was the right time to open up, she questioned, “So…do you mind if I ask your name?” 

The kid swallowed the last of his donut before he answered.

“I’m Tennard.”

“What a lovely name…It suits your lovely face too…” Tsumugi remarked, which left him staring blankly at her.

“Oh, did I say something wrong?” Her voice turned a bit conscious.

“Oh, n-nothing…I thought your eyes transformed into stars and you have white wings…They are bright and also the flowers surrounding you…,” he honestly explained.

“Hahaha! That’s very similar with what my husband often tells me!”

Tennard thought it was silly for an adult to blurt out something embarrassing, which caused him to titter. Tsumugi waited for him to finish the cake she sliced for him before she asked him again.

“How old are you, Tennard?”

He counted with his fingers and showed it to her, “I’m three years old.”

“W-what…?”

Judging him from his looks, his stature was falling short to be a normal three-year-old kid, considering that he was also slightly thin, although not malnourished. Still, the manner of his talking was unbelievably advanced.

“How about you, Miss?” He asked her before he took the whole box of the chocolate cake.

“Oh, I’m Tsumugi!”

“How old are you, Miss Tsumugi?”

“Hehe, that’s a secret!”

Tennard blew his cheeks again as if they were balloons that demanded to be popped. And that had her laugh because who won’t enjoy when the kid, who was pitifully terrified earlier, was finally having fun?

“By the way, why don’t you come here? I have a gift for you.”

The boy put the cake aside and obediently walked toward her. She handed him seven light paper bags with handles. She was thankful that she saw Anesagi on her way to her favorite café and the restaurant beside it to buy Tennard meals. She requested her to buy children clothes good for a week of usage.

Tennard stretched the openings and peeked inside them. “Oh, are they food?”

“It’s a secret!” Tsumugi winked.

“…Your name should be Miss Secret,” he retorted. She just chuckled and rubbed his head.

“…Thank you very much for today, Miss Tsumugi. If it’s alright, can I bring home the food that I cannot eat?”

“Of course! It’s all yours!”

“I’ll share them with my brother.”

Tsumugi was even more awed with Tennard’s maturity. But wait, he only said “brother.”

“You’ll not share them with your parents?”

“We don’t have parents. I only have my brother.”

And that explained why he was out there to work. At such a young age, he was already part of that sector that Tsumugi and her father had been praying to disappear in the society – anything that undermined a child’s welfare. She flashed him a lonely look as he wiped his mouth with a table napkin.

“Tennard, can you wait here for me? I promise, I’ll come back quickly.”

He nodded willingly and sat to eat the cake again. He placed the paper bags beside him carefully. Tsumugi proceeded to the fountain and waved at Momorle who was eating at the bench near it.

“Lady Tsumtsum!! Lady Anesagi just left a few minutes ago if you’re looking for her.”

“Ah, it’s no problem. Momorle, is it alright to disturb you at the moment?”

“I’m almost done anyway.” He gave her a thumbs-up.

“Can you buy some clothes? Children size and for a boy. Good for one week of wearing. And if you can, make it fast please.” She gave him a few gold coins before she apologized for her last instruction. “I’m very sorry about the haste.”

“Sure thing!! You know I love doing things for kids!! And the Duke didn’t train me for nothing!! Well then, off I go!!” His voice faded as he strode away.

True enough, it only took him several minutes to come back. He brought with him seven paper bags too. Tsumugi thanked him and hurriedly went back to where Tennard was.

“Ah, thank you for wai…ting…,” her voice grew quiet when she discovered that Tennard has already eaten a whole round chocolate cake by himself. Even Gakphonse couldn’t eat a whole strawberry flavored cake with strawberry toppings on it by himself.

“Welcome back, Miss Tsumugi!” Tennard greeted with a satisfied smile glued on his face. Tsumugi just filled her mind with the gleeful sight in front of her. She was happy enough to see the little kid cheerful.

“Yes! And I’m back with more gifts! These ones are for your brother!”

“Really!?” The sound Tennard produced was the very first childish-like tone that Tsumugi has ever heard. If she would assume, he must really love his brother, even more than himself.

As the excited kid took the paper bags from her, she noticed that he only ate the desserts. “Tennard, are you not fond of heavy meals?”

He shook his head a bit. “I’m saving them for today’s dinner with my brother.”

Tsumugi’s heart was melting more and more. She didn’t know if her affective system could take the damage from his next reply. If he only mentioned dinner, did that mean that he has already prepared a lunch for his brother? What could a kid of three years of age make? Or, did he buy something already for his brother and would just worry later for his own tummy?

“But why isn’t he with you?”

“Because he’s sick.”

The strength she could propel to her lacrimal glands transfigured into words of adoration. She was steadily stroking his head as her eyes sustained a direct contact with his.

“You’re so strong, Tennard. I’m sure your brother loves you so, so much.”

The boy responded with a bashful beam, his teeth revealing some chocolate tartars. In an instant, her brief dolefulness perished.

“And a very, very, veryyyyyy cute boy!” She pulled him closer to her so she could clean his teeth.

After a few minutes, Tennard announced his departure. “Miss Tsumugi, I need to go now.”

“Oh, are you going home to your brother?”

“No. I need to look for another job.”

Tsumugi couldn’t bear brooding over the connections among child, poverty, and labor. What more in his condition of being physically abused and with an ill brother?

“Tennard, can you close your eyes for a few seconds?”

“Eh…why?”

“If I tell you, it won’t be a secret anymore haha!”

“Pfft…,” for the third time, the kid blew his cheeks. “Okay, three seconds only.”

“Okay!” She agreed with his command. He put down the paper bags and covered his eyes with his hands

“One…two…three..!”

“Done!”

“…So what happened?” He flatly questioned with bored eyes. She was getting more amused with the behaviors that were appropriate for his age.

“Something that you’ll know if you return home right away!”

“...But–”

“Trust me, Tennard. Go home straight to your brother and you won’t have to worry.”

Tennard didn’t break his gaze at her. “Angels don’t lie, right?”

The person seen as an angel replied with a blinding dazzling grin fastened on her face. “If I didn’t lie, you must be here at the park again tomorrow, okay?”

Betting on the kindness that he has been showered, he believed her and was compliant to her imperative. “Okay.”

“Great! Let me just wrap these for you and your brother!”

* * *

When Tsumugi arrived home after lunch, she was greeted by Gakphonse himself at the main door.

“Welcome home, Tsumugi.”

“Honey! I’m back!”

She sprinted toward him with her arms held out, wrapping them around his neck since his shoulders were too broad for her short arms to reach. As if she had a substantial sugar intake, her hyped impression left a resounding relish inside the mansion halls. He lifted her a bit from the ground and returned her joy with a combination of a graceful swirl and a kiss on her cheek. He then glanced at the area where Momorle and some kitchen staff were putting multiple boxes at the kitchen carts. He also noted the great quantity of Anesagi’s own share of boxes. She was usually bringing home paper bags only.

“I bet the chocolate cake is to your liking? You seem to order all the stocks.”

Actually, she wanted to experiment something. What would be her husband’s reactions if she acted the same like Tennard? 

So she started off with imitating his blow cheeks.

“Hahaha!” The duke sent out a hearty laugh that even Yukieu at the second floor could hear. “Tsumugi, is this your new way of seducing me?”

Commonly, she would stutter and get red all over from head to toe with that kind of remark from him, but the lady of the household was adamant.

“Secret!” She replied in the same manner as she would to children.

He poked her nose constantly. “Now, now, aren’t you treating me like a kid?”

“Pfft…,” she snapped back, trying her best to mimic how Tennard sounded when he grew tired of her “secret” responses. Anesagi and Momorle, who were witnessing the playful event, were exerting their utmost efforts in suppressing their laughter. Who knows, just one sound from them could cost their head.

“Tsumugi…,” Gakphonse affectionately called. His hands found their way on her cheeks.

“If this is the effect of eating that café’s chocolate cake, I’ll have those boxes–”

“E-e-eh! N-n-no! I’m just teasing you!!!!!!” Her short-lived pluck evaporated in an instant. If soldiers have an Achilles’ heel, Tsumugi had a sweet tooth.

“…Reordered…haha…from the…oh wow…hahaha...café,” he still managed to finish his statement after some interruptions from his own mirth.

“………………..”

Tsumugi couldn’t believe how her great liking to sweets betrayed her. She naturally blew her cheeks and this time, it was for genuine.

“Aww, come on.” He pressed his thumbs on her cheeks, poking them like it’s the new way of massaging a face. “Do you mind sharing the reason why you’re blooming so splendidly today?”

For some reasons that even she herself couldn’t understand, she didn’t know why she couldn’t accept his jest lightly. Was it because she was too absorbed by Tennard’s fondness toward chocolates? Or would it be the scary incident of either wasting money or food resources if Gakphonse’s statement turned out to be a serious one?

“I’m sure you’re not the reason why I’m blooming today.”

And that cool rejoinder, if you asked her to describe it, stabbed him like the sharpest chef’s knife just cut off his legs, disabling him to walk, even to crawl given the damage that her words launched at his ears. 

“U-umm, T-Tsumugi, honey–”

“Hahaha…”

But of course, she couldn’t be completely angry at him. First, he was only playing along with her. Second, even if he was killing people in wars, he would not dare disregard even a cent when it comes to the household finances. Third, she was just simply in love with him.

“Oh my god, you’re gonna kill me…,” he sighed in relief with his both hands bolstering up his chest that almost carried all the possible shredded pieces of his broken heart.

“Sorry about that. Will I be forgiven?” She asked like a little girl asking for a candy. Her hands were hidden behind her while she meekly smiled. But she got herself a sweet kiss on the lips instead of a real sweet.

Putting his hands on her shoulders, he bent his knees to match her gaze. “I guess I also have to be forgiven, right?”

Setting aside the blush across her cheeks, a tee-hee from her lips escaped first before she returned the sweetened favor.

“If you would eat the cake with me!”

He laughed. “I think that was also yesterday’s penance.”

* * *

Tennard was not used with returning home, if a small abandoned storage room at the alleyway could be considered one, early. The sky was boasting its fluffy clouds and bright atmosphere, which naturally served as their source of light in the daytime.

Upon entering, he was greeted by a cheerful voice, tinier than his.

“Ten-nii!”

“Hello, Riku! I’m back!”

After he placed the paper bags on the small wooden table, he approached the kid on the bed who had his arms in the air. He gave him a big hug before sitting beside him.

“Ten-nii early home?”

“Yes. I am early today.”

“Oooh, why early?”

“Because I have gifts for you!”

Tennard pointed at the paper bags.

“Uwah! What inside?”

“Oh, I don’t know too. Do you want to open them now?”

The other kid nodded willingly so he took the gifts on the bed. One by one, they removed the ribbon seals.

"Uwaaah! Ten-nii! Yummy food!"

"That is good until dinner and even tomorrow's breakfast if only they won't spoil."

“Uwaaaaaaah! Ten-nii! Clothes! New!”

“You're right...And there are a lot for us...”

“Ten-nii! Ten-nii! Look! Money pocket inside!”

“Huh?”

“Ten-nii! Many money!”

Tennard couldn’t believe the amount of gold coins that his brother discovered from one of the paper bags. He really met an angel earlier. And he would be happy to meet her again tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, did I just really write this LOL (ಥ_ಥ) I am literally crying 。゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜。...I’ll just check my mistakes later because I really want to post this chapter haha
> 
> I really want to finish the Tenn and Riku adoption arc in this story so I guess I’ll be updating this story first :D
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


	3. Riknard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ I reread some of my Riku and Ten fave fanfics and I feel sooo pumped up to continue (and one main reason as well is no JLPT 5 review would enter my brain unless I complete the twins arc ♡o(╥﹏╥)o♡)
> 
> I’m experimenting my descriptive type of writing with a balance of realistic dialogues from our dear characters, so pleeeease pardon my awkward style…but I hope you’ll like this (long) chapter! *bows*:D

It was unusual for Tennard to go outside to dispose their garbage without using a lamp. It was still early evening and the sun was still available to lit the environs. It was a good thing that the food was really delicious, making it easier to leave no leftovers and to be stuffed until the next day’s breakfast. 

When he returned, he saw his brother making the undersized bed. He had also changed into his new pajamas. 

“Ten-nii! Me will sing for you!”

“Oh? Why all of a sudden?”

“Coz food yummy!”

“Haha! Go on, I’ll listen to you, Riku.”

The kid cleared his throat and began opening and closing his fists.

“Twinkle twinkle little star. He’s my twin brother Tennard. He’s an angel from above. Me love him with all my heart. Twinkle twinkle little star. He’s my twin brother Teeeeeennaaaaard….”

The ending of the revised nursery rhyme was given a unique style with a very soothing decrescendo.

After watching his performance, the proud brother clapped his hands and smiled broadly at him. “That’s very awesome, Riku!!!!!!!!”

The other kid scratched his cheek, giggling from the enthusiastic affection from his sole audience. Suddenly, he landed his right fist on his left palm.

“Ahhhhhh, Ten-nii! Bed ready!”

“But it’s too early to sleep.”

“But me sang a song already! Ten-nii sing before me sleep right? Early sleep, early wakey wakey!”

So that was the supplementary logic behind his singing. He couldn’t resist the cherubic smile from him that illuminated more because of his bright eyes. “Alright, alright. I’ll change into my pajamas too.”

While he was choosing from the new set of clothes that they had inside a decrepit wooden wardrobe, the red-haired innocently raised a concern.

“Ten-nii, many money, what we do?”

The same concern also lingered on him ever since he realized the huge amount of gold coins that Tsumugi gave them. The two sides of his young conscience argued back and forth: He didn’t work hard to receive it, but it was given, not stolen.

He climbed on the bed and sat beside him. Maybe, his pure brother could help him weigh the more principled decision. It’s not like he was rejecting blessings, but too much would just make them dependent, and he knew at such a young age that the world is undeniably cruel.

“What do you think?”

Pinching his chin while looking at the ceiling, he suggested, “Hm…Take only needed, return not needed!”

“But what if it’s given and the person who gave it doesn’t want it back?”

“If not want back, Ten-nii exchange something. Give take?”

The older brother considered the proposal. If it would be possible, he could clean Tsumugi’s shoes every day to return the favor. If that would be the case, he wouldn’t mind cleaning her shoes for the rest of his life.

“You’re a smart kid, Riku,” Tennard praised. He flashed him a “thank you” look as he patted his head.

“If me smart, Ten-nii smart too! We twins haha!” He reciprocated the action and also patted Tennard’s head. The latter kid arranged their blanket so they could tuck themselves in bed.

“Riku,” Tennard called as he shifted his position to face his twin. “Tomorrow, after we take a bath, I’ll buy some breads for our breakfast. I need to go to the park, but I’ll be back before lunch so we can eat together.”

“…Ten-nii, morning bath no more soap…Kids bully, took soap and shampoo and towel…Me only notice when Ten-nii left home…Empty bag, oh, wait…Not empty, clothes inside hehe.”

Tennard inflated his cheeks. Those kids who always bothered them whenever they take a bath at the creek went too extreme this time. He wondered how their parents raised those bunch of mean kids who would steal hygiene materials from children who didn’t even have any guardian to provide them their necessities.

“Okay, Riku. I’ll just buy us new ones tomorrow too.”

“Ah, Ten-nii, why go park way the by?”

“It’s ‘by the way’, Riku,” he corrected him this time because it was very far from its correct form unlike his other grammatical errors. “And I will meet Miss Tsumugi there.”

“Miss Tsu..mu…gi?”

“Yes, Miss Tsumugi gave us the–“

“Ahh!! Clothes food money!!!”

“Hahaha! You’re right. Isn’t she nice?”

“Nice person angel like Ten-nii!!!!!!”

Tennard’s lips unconsciously cracked a smile.

“Say thank you for me, Ten-nii, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Me wish me go with Ten-nii...Work too so me help...,” the younger twin said with a guilty voice. In spite of his moderately infantile way of speaking, his recognition about their situation didn’t fall behind Tennard’s. He was fully aware of his older twin’s sacrifices for him. He also had his fair share of worries for his brother. Has he eaten yet? Where does he stay when it’s raining? Do people treat him nicely? Isn’t his body getting tired? Will he arrive home safely? How he wished he could also do something for him.

Activating his twin telepathy, he reached for the red-haired boy’s hands and placed them on his chest.

“Riknard, just smile for me and that’s all I need.”

Upon hearing his complete name, Riknard took note of his brother’s seriousness and sincerity at the same time. In an instant, the room was filled with radiance from the kid who had his twin radar activated as well. 

“Ten-nii love, all I need! No need lots money! Just lots Ten-nii love!”

It was very rewarding for Tennard to hear his twin’s brave confession that was more highlighted by his vivid smile. He would grind away everything just to make sure that Riknard would live and not only simply live, but live healthily.

“I love you too, Riknard.” 

He kissed the forehead of his twin without letting of his hands. The younger one nuzzled against his upper chest eagerly.

When Tennard noticed that Riknard was already fast asleep, he slid one arm under his head and used his free hand to stroke his back. Once he was done recalling the short performance earlier, he closed his eyes and serenely sang.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star. He’s my twin brother Riknard. He’s all I need in my life. I love him ‘til the end of time. Twinkle, twinkle, little star. He’s my twin brother Riknard…”

As if the sun was done watching the twins’ moment, it allowed itself to be replaced eventually by the moon and the stars which served as their temporary guardians until the late dawn.

* * *

Tsumugi arrived at the park around 9:30 a.m. with Momorle and Anesagi. The two insisted on accompanying her for precautionary measures. For the record, the footman didn’t want to clean a brick road again and the head maid didn’t want to hear another stressful anecdote from Tsumugi. If only she was with her at that time when a mad lady was venting on a poor kid, she won’t think twice transforming into a “he.”

The three were currently waiting at the bench in front of the central fountain since it was the best spot to look around the vast park. Its location was elevated compared to the other areas.

“Miss Tsumugi! Miss Tsumugi!” A tiny voice exclaimed. Upon hearing it, Tsumugi stood up and roamed her eyes all over the place. Thankfully, the taller Anesagi caught a glimpse of the running boy who was wearing the clothes she shopped for him. She tapped Tsumugi’s shoulder and pointed at their left side.

“Tennard!” She excitingly called out, holding the sides of her blue skirt as she ran toward the kid. When she was a meter away from him, she crouched and started waving her hands at him.

The kid, wearing a moderately decolorized messenger bag, stopped in front of her. With his tidier and brighter complexion today, his grateful smile could equal the glow of the sun. “Miss Tsumugi, you really are an angel!”

Momorle, who tagged along apace, affirmed it. “You’re right!! Lady Tsumtsum is an angel!!”

And his compliment was followed by Anesagi’s. “And she’s the only angel to tame–“

“Now, now, that’s unnecessary hahaha!” Tsumugi cut off, afraid that Tennard might be on guard if he knew who her husband was.

The youngest of them kept his lips zipped for a while.

“Oh! By the way, these are Momorle and Anesagi. They were the ones who bought your clothes!”

The newly introduced persons waved at Tennard and gave their best, approachable, and pure smile. He thought that if they were with Tsumugi, they were nice as well, which allowed him to be worry-free and return the smile.

Tsumugi held Tennard’s hands to continue where they left off. “Since you’re here today, then I must be one!”

Tennard nodded continuously. “Yes! My brother thinks you are one too! And he wants me to say thank you for him!”

Tsumugi smiled from ear to ear. “That’s so sweet of him. Please tell him I’m more than happy to help.”

“Ah…,” Tennard glanced at the other two who were behind Tsumugi. “Mister Momorle and Miss Anesagi, thank you very much too,” he expressed his gratitude with a slightly different tone. It was not as playful as the way he talked to Tsumugi.

“You’re welcome, kiddo!!” Momorle beamed at him.

“It’s my pleasure to turn you into a handsome kid.” Anesagi winked at him. He blushed at her remark.

“Ooooh, look who’s blushing ~ A cute kiddo!! And what’s the kiddo’s name?? Tennard ~ !!” Momorle was trying to break the kid’s walls.

“I-I…”

“If he’s cute, then his brother must be cute too, right?” Anesagi was assisting him, hoping that their attempt would be successful.

And it was. They managed to make Tennard form a bubbled cheek. Both of them were covering their mouth with their hands to hide their victorious grin.

“Hahaha! Tennard, it’s you and your cheeks again!” Tsumugi giggled, poking his cheeks with her fingers.

“…Do you find it funny?” Tennard demanded a quick answer judging from the tone of his voice. At the back of Momorle’s and Anesagi’s heads, the kid resembled someone very close to the blond lady.

“No, I don’t. But I find it cute,” Tsumugi replied as she started pinching his cheeks lightly. This time, the two bystanders recalled yesterday’s scene, which made them grin wider behind their hands.

“…Can you consider it as an exchange for the money you gave me and my brother?”

The atmosphere took a complete about-turn.

“Why would you think of that, kiddo??” Momorle asked curiously.

“Because it was too much. One gold coin is enough for us for one month.”

Anesagi almost dropped her jaw on the ground. “WHAT!!!??? ONE GOLD FOR A MONTH??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???”

“…No, I don’t,” he monotonously responded. He then rummaged his bag and showed a small improvised paper box to them. “We only took one coin.”

“Tennard, didn’t I give them to you? Then that means they are all yours,” Tsumugi tried to persuade as she took the small box, only to return it to his bag. She peeped inside it and saw two pieces of white cloth and a round can.

“Then how about a deal?”

The adults couldn’t digest his way of thinking. Even a rich person in their time would not be reluctant in accepting an open grace.

“You’ll only give me a coin if I clean your shoes.”

“Ooooh, so that’s three coins from us– ow!” Momorle couldn’t finish when Anesagi jabbed his side with her sturdy elbow.

“Hm…,” Tsumugi wondered out loud without diverting her gaze from the committed kid. “Can you give me some time to think?”

“Okay.”

“Thank–”

“Three seconds.”

“Eh?” Tsumugi raised her brows. Seriously, did the chocolate cake boost his brain development?

“…Pfft, I’m joking,” Tennard let out an amused chuckle.

"Oh wow, look who’s joking like the Duke–,” Anesagi was interrupted again by Tsumugi.

“Weeeeeell then! Keep the money for now until I give you my answer tomorrow, okay?” Tsumugi promptly stood up and dragged her two attendants with her.

“Okay– huh,” Tennard paused at the realization that she put the money back inside his bag. “What? Wait!”

“Tomorrow, same time and place! See you!” Tsumugi’s fading squealing voice echoed, leaving the kid frozen.

* * *

“Hahahaha! Miss Tsumugi really angel! She not want Ten-nii work!” Riknard laughed with no intended harm at the futile effort of his twin. He was just happy that even if they were complete strangers to her, she was still kind.

“…What do you think I should do, Riku?”

It was always like this. When Tennard couldn’t make up his mind, he would ask for Riknard’s advice. Despite his lack of linguistic competency, the younger twin did not have a dearth of creative ideas, be it to solve their problems or to lift Tennard’s spirits.

“Hm…Sing!”

“Oh, do you want me to sing for you now?”

The red-haired kid shook his head. “No, no, no! For Miss Tsumugi!”

“Why should I sing?”

“Because Ten-nii’s voice beautiful! She sure love it!!”

“…Are…you sure?”

“Of course!!!!!! Me always listen Ten-nii’s lullabies!!!!!! Me know best!!!!!!”

Tennard felt Riknard’s maximum level of emboldening him, and he was sure that his twin won’t take no for an answer. “I…guess, I’ll try…”

“Nooooo, no guess, no try!!! Just do!!!”

At that moment, Tennard made a mental note that even a maybe didn’t exist in his vocabulary.

“Alright. For you, I’ll do it.” He patted Riknard’s head before he arranged their bed.

“Mhmm, mhmm!!! Ahhh, Ten-nii, me too, bed fix!!!” 

Riknard tailed him behind. As they prepared to call it a day, the younger twin further encouraged his brother by suggesting songs that he brother could perform tomorrow, singing short songs to choose from.

* * *

“If you don’t want me to clean your shoes, I can sing for you.”

Tennard straightforwardly initiated after Tsumugi disagreed with his first deal. He was glad to consider her rejection beforehand, making him devise another transaction.

“Oh, you sing?” Her rising intonation expressed her amazement. After all, Gakphonse’s singing voice was one of the powerful strings that made her drawn to him when he was still wooing her. Up to this time, she would let her lulled by his night serenades. 

Noticing her excitement, Anesagi simpered. “Madam, looks like the Duke found his worthy ri–” 

“I-I-I’m sure you have a lovely voice!”

“Like Lady Tsutsum’s hus–“ Momorle couldn’t also sneak a side-comment.

“D-d-do you sing often?”

“Only for my brother, but he told me that I can also sing for you.”

“Really? Then it’s my pleasure to listen to you!”

“So, it’s a deal?” Tennard extended his hand like a businessman who just conducted a negotiation.

“Yup! It’s a deal!” Tsumugi merrily shook his little hand that was only at the same level as her waist.

“Ooooh, can we listen to you too, Tennard?? Pleeeeaaaaseeee ~,” Momorle asked with tightly clasped hands.

That somehow turned on his three-year-old mode. He was blinking his eyes at the man who was pleading.

“B-but I’m not that–”

“Trust me, Tennard, anyone who sings in front of Madam Tsumugi becomes a good singer,” the pink-haired woman spurred on, flashing him a broad smile.

“…O-okay…”

Leaving his audience on the bench, he stood in front of them and bowed first. To gather more confidence, he closed his eyes and pictured Riknard sitting beside the three adults. After he took a sharp inhale, he entrusted his melody to the “Ten-nii!” voice that he has always been holding on to.

“I can live…I can love…I can reach the heavens above.”

They dismissed the thought of his voice being somewhat teensy, but they were wonderstruck with his choice of song that really justified his exceptional voice.

“I can right what is wrong…I can sing just any song.”

In Tsumugi’s eyes, the kid’s hand movements were feather-like. And the lyrics were overflowing with emotions. Was he thinking of his brother?

“I can dance…I can fly…And touch the rainbow in the sky…”

They felt like an angel just granted them the privilege to perform for them when Tennard hit the higher notes.

“I can be your good friend…I can love you…Until the end…”

Upon opening his eyes, he earned three reactions. Momorle was covering his mouth with both hands, tearing up a bit; Anesagi was blowing out her nose in her bloody red hankie. And Tsumugi, although smiling, was letting her tears stroll down her rosy cheeks.

“Huh?” Tennard, with a full-scale different tone, lifelessly mouthed.

“Tennard, that’s….,” Tsumugi spoke first, wiping the side of her eyes gracefully. “You’re like an angel.”

Hearing a similar compliment with his twin instantly made his face a tomato. 

Tsumugi walked toward him and held his shoulders. “I love your voice and the song! See, you had us lost in your voice!”

It was not difficult for Tsumugi to smash his guard. Tennard shyly grinned and began swaying his arms lightly.

“Hehehe…My brother chose the song.”

She played along with his arm movements. “Oh! So he’s singing too?”

“Mhmm! We are twins so he’s good at singing too!”

“Eh!? Twins!?” Tsumugi exclaimed in utter surprise. That signified that there existed a Tennard version 2.0!

“Yup! And I love him so much!”

It was as easy as Tennard’s way of revealing an obvious fact for Tsumugi to easily catch what he said.

“May I know your twin’s name?”

“Riknard.”

“Hehe, both of you have ‘nard’ in your names!”

“But it was hard for him to say ‘nard’ so I just call him Riku.”

Tsumugi showed a curious expression. And Tennard, being the intelligent kid as far as the world was concerned, averred as he stopped swaying his arms.

“…Secret.”

Usually, she would laugh it off but she remembered yesterday’s short discourse about his brother. Tennard probably didn’t want people to look down on his twin.

She patted his head and gave him a demurred smile. “I hope Riku gets well soon so I can hear his voice too.”

* * *

“Eeeeeeh? Why they cry?” Riknard confusedly asked. Didn’t they like his brother’s voice? No, that couldn’t be. So they didn’t like the song he made him sing. Or whatever, he gave up thinking about it.

“I don’t know. But Miss Tsumugi stopped crying and told me that I looked like an angel and she loved my voice…,” he reported without missing a detail.

“Uwaaaaah!!!! Seeeee!!!! Me right!!!!!”

Tennard chuckled as he combed Riknard’s hair. It was the first time that they didn’t use their fingers in combing. They also managed to buy additional hygiene supplies not only for cleaning themselves but also for cleaning their humble abode.

“Yes, Riku. I told Miss Tsumugi about you and she said that she also wanted to hear your voice.”

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Really!!!!!????” Riknard suddenly spun his upper body around, maintaining a sitting position on their bed.

“Eh, Riku, don’t move too much–”

“Me can see Miss Tsumugi?????”

“Ermm…Riku…,” Tennard tried to hold him on his shoulders to make him face the other side again. He was not yet prepared to touch the matter.

“Ten-nii, why no answer?” The red-haired faced him again.

“Riku, you’ll get sick if you go out.” And the cycle went on.

“But me no sick when bath?”

“That’s because it’s still early in the morning.”

“But still morning when Ten-nii go outside?”

“The weather is hotter–”

“But me careful so no sick…”

“Riku…”

“Pleeeeaaaseee, Ten-nii?????”

Tennard heavily sighed. He went to the edge of their bed with his knees, puting down the comb on the carton box on the floor beside their bed.

“Riknard.” His brows were stationed as flatly as his voice when he called him. But the younger one was not yielding too. Bouncing the bed with his knees adjusting his distance closer to the older one, he also called him.

“Tenyard.”

He called him in his complete name, not the measurement of their distance. And even if that was supposed to be something for dimensions, Riku definitely got his counting mistaken.

“…Pfft.”

And that was the signal that the older brother surrendered.

“Uwah!!! No laughing!!!!” Riknard squealed as he covered his ears with his palms.

“Come, give me a hug.” Tennard held out his arms as if even the one who was defeated had the right to demand for a tribute.

“Hehehehehe!” But Riknard didn’t mind because his twin would always conquer his heart.

It wasn’t even a second when Tennard found himself squeezed tightly. “W-wah, wait, Riku...!”

“Me love Tenyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!!!!” 

Tennard suppressed his laugh at his own name as he allowed himself to be spoiled by his adorable twin. He leaned on the white pillow situated in front of the bed’s headboard and pulled a few inches away from his brother.

“I love you too, Riknaaaaaaaaaaaard!!!” He childishly verbalized as he poked Riknard’s nose nonstop.

“Hehehe…Ah!! Ten-nii!!! Tomorrow song!!! Me have idea!!!”

* * *

“That’s very wonderful, Tennard!” Tsumugi, together with Momorle and Anesagi, was clapping her hands this time.

“Of course, that’s more wonderful because you look so handsome with those clothes!!!!!” The proud head maid added.

Tennard bowed and flashed them a thankful smile. “Thank you, Miss Tsumugi, Miss Anesagi!” The pitch of his voice announced to them that he was in his “kid mode.”

“Oh my god, Momorle…Hold me please…I can’t…It’s too dazzling…,” Anesagi cried. She clung onto the footman’s arm who was awkwardly supporting a figure more widely-built than him.

Tsumugi modestly laughed at the two before she asked the kid. “Say, did Riku choose this song?”

“Yup! Isn’t he great!?” His aura was oozing with alluring adoration for his twin.

“Oh my god…Goodbye world…,” Anesagi exaggeratedly professed, throwing her weight at Momorle’s side.

“W-Wah, L-Lady Anesagi!! Y-you’re hea–”

“Tell me that I’m heavy and you’ll say goodbye to this world.”

“…Head is unsafe so I offer you my lap…”

“Hahahaha!”

The comical duo had both Tennard and Tsumugi laughing.

“Oh wait, I’m alive now,” Anesagi quickly sat again on the bench, dusting off her bloody collared dress.

“Where’s Yukieu when I need him…,” Momorle murmured, burying his face on his palms.

“Miss Tsumugi.” And there was the turned off kid mode.

“Yes?”

“You said you wanted to see Riku, right?”

“Yes! Yes! I did! Can I?”

“F-flowers…” Tennard was sure she was brimming with flowers, wings, and halo again. “…I mean, yes, you can.”

“Uwaaaah!!!! Thank you!!!!” Tsumugi suddenly embraced the child who was taken aback by her behavior, which was similar to his brother’s.

“C-c-can’t…b-breathe…”

“Oops, my bad! I got excited hahaha…,” she sheepishly apologized, fingers lightly tapping her bubbly cheeks.

“Then you’ll see him three days from now.”

“Oh, why not tomorrow?”

“Because tomorrow is a special day.”

“Special? Don’t tell me…”

Tennard sensed what special meant for common people, and when he described them common, it was no reference to the social standing but people who could celebrate special occasions. “No…Tomorrow is cleaning day.”

“Huh? Cleaning…as in, cleaning?”

“…Yes.”

“Then…if tomorrow is cleaning day…what is the day after tomorrow’s day called?”

“It’s–”

It was Tsumugi’s time to interfere him. “No secrets, okay?”

He wanted to “pfft” but his cheeks reacted faster than his voice, making the lady cup his face and squeeze it.

“Sooooo cuuuute!!!”

“M-Mirsh Ch-Churmungi…”

“Hahaha!” She finally removed her hands from his cheeks.

“I…I will teach Riku some things.”

She identified the brotherly logic and she didn’t delve further.

“Okay! I know Riku will learn a lot because he has a very smart twin brother!” She formed clenched fists on her hands and gave her the most courageous expression she could with her slanted brows.

“Oh and…,” the kid seemed to be hesitant to finish off. But as always, Tsumugi’s smile evolved into a great weapon to destroy all the blocks surrounding him.

“…Please speak normally to Riku.”

* * *

Tsumugi, being attentive to details, did her part in her own request of seeing Riknard. She meticulously planned everything that would involve the twins. Tonight, she would like to take advantage of her position as the lady of the Idoltrigvale household. She would persuade her husband to decorate the central park with potted shrubs, colorful bushes flowers, and if possible, have it as pristine as it could be. She would also ask if she could use a larger horse carriage for one day since she had a lot to buy for the twins.

Putting faith in her own undertaking, she knocked at her husband’s workroom. She prepared his favorite tea and strawberry cake to increase the chance of her coaxing’s success. In spite of it, her nervousness didn’t retreat even after she quietly opened the door.

“H-honey…Is it alright to trouble you…at the m-moment?” She humbly asked, very careful without making a clank. She knew that her husband never liked being inconvenienced during his heightened working mood rather than working hours. Nevertheless, she just couldn’t put her mind at ease when it came to the twins.

“Ah, Tsumugi.” Gakphonse, without glancing at her, plainly uttered. The door was still hang open just in case she was ordered to leave, but she urged herself to do her best to be able to enter the room. 

“Umm, can I en–”

“This won’t take a while.” His attention was still fixated on the paper that he was analyzing.

“…I-I-I…can see…,” her voice began faltering like the fading resolution. However, she still had her ultimate allies with her so she went on, “That you still have a lot to go over but–”

“Ah. Don’t worry. I’m almost over.”

“So can I–”

“One more paper left.”

“Honey, I just want to en–”

“Tsumugi, I said this won’t take a while.”

Gakphonse muttered as pleasingly as his low voice could, but Tsumugi’s ears shouldn’t be underestimated.

“You know what, I just want to enter this holy room.”

Still not looking at her, he countered rationally, “I told you that you can enter anytime–”

“And I told you many times to look at the door when someone knocked.”

“But I already know that it’s you.”

“But you don’t know about THESE.”

Feeling the dire need to confirm the perception of his ears, Gakphonse finally bothered to glance at his wife. Unfortunately, she was already fuming with chagrin, attested by the grim scowl on her face. His sharp, intimidating eyes suddenly enlarged when he saw her carrying a tray loaded with fragile saucers, teacups, and confectionaries.

“Tsu–”

Before he could even put the paper down on his table, Tsumugi dropped the tray on the floor, causing a heavy crashing sound as loud as her banging of the door, though nothing apart from Gakphonse’s heart was broken.

An elegantly sauntering Yukieu, who was on his way to Gakphonse’s workroom noticed the lady and quickly paid his respect.

“Good evening–”

“TELL THE DUKE THAT HE WILL SLEEP ON THAT HOLY ROOM TONIGHT.”

It was the first time that the general’s right hand man witnessed the lady stomped off along the hallway after exiting the workroom. She was mostly, if not all the time, in a good mood after visiting him.

“Honey– oh,” Gakphonse’s voice became impassive, shoulders falling in disappointment.

“My deep apologies, Duke, for not being your honey.”

Ignoring his glazed interpose, Gakphonse completely stepped out from the workroom and closed its door. “Did you see my wife?”

“Yes, I did. But I don’t think you’ll see your wife for some time.”

Gakphonse grimaced at the truth.

“You’re not gonna blame the papers?”

“No. But I hope they’ll be on my side.”

* * *

The next day, Gakphonse intended to apologize to Tsumugi during the breakfast, but she has memorized his daily routine so she avoided him at all costs. He sought help from Anesagi, but she reprimanded him for two hours, saying that he should clean the mess he made. He did try to make her open the door of their room by sharing all the puns he had been hearing from the knight schools’ students and some soldiers who loved blabbering during break time, even the old-school jokes from a handful of other officers in the defense committee of the empire, but she was not relenting.

Another day passed and it was Momorle who he approached. The footman was able to talk to her, but instead of talking about her issue with Gakphonse, the two ended up discussing the plans for the twins. When it was already nighttime, Gakphonse had no choice but to rely on Yukieu. The middleman delivered his flowers and letters for her, but Tsumugi could be immensely scary when she wanted to. Yukieu returned the gifts to him, albeit that they were all dyed in black and was torn into pieces.

On the third day, Gakphonse woke up in front of their room’s door, sitting on the tiled floor. Recalling that day’s date, he hated the fact that he needed to leave for his “empire duties” again. And that meant two weeks of not mending a big scar on his heart. Dear world, it’s two weeks of no immediate communication. When he caught a glimpse of Yukieu in the hallway, he gestured at him to bring him a paper and a pen. In his right hand man’s perspective, his lord, disregarding his handsomeness, resembled a beggar on the street on the way his body was slumped, only that the alms he was desperate to obtain was his wife. 

Despite doubting that the same method would work, he still wrote something for her, although this time, it only contained a single line. He then placed it in between the double-leaf door. With all the love he wished he could convey, he bet on his last trump card before he prepared for his egress.

“How can I…Each time I try to say goodbye…You were there…You look my way, I touch the sky…We can share…Tomorrow and forevermore…I’ll be there…To love you so…”

He took a brief pause.

“Tsumugi, you are my song…”

* * *

“Uwaaaah!! Ten-nii, so purdy!!!” Riknard couldn’t rest his head in one direction. There were a lot to see for someone who barely went outside.

“Yeah…These are not here a few days ago…I guess, Miss Tsumugi’s husband is nice too,” Tennard also wandered his eyes around, but making sure that his hand won’t lose its grip on Riknard’s left hand. His right hand was carrying a cream-colored teddy bear, pressed against his chest.

“Hehehe…Of course! Sir Gaky also angel for me!” Riknard confessed as he brushed his nose on his teddy bear.

“Riku, are you fine holding your teddy bear?”

“Yup! Ten-nii bag full so no worries!”

“Well, ah…I can see–.”

“See? Miss Tsumugi??? Miss Anesagi??? Sir Momow??? Sir Yukyu??”

“It’s just Miss Tsumugi this time,” Tennard pointed with his free hand. The other kid followed where he was directing.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!! Yellow angel!!!!!!!!!!” Riknard suddenly launched his way toward Tsumugi that even his twin couldn’t stop.

“Riku, no running around!!!” Tennard tried to chase him.

“Miss Tsumugi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Riknard squealed throughout his pace, both arms waving in the air, with his right one also waving his teddy bear.

“Hm–oh!” Tsumugi turned around and saw a cute, red-haired boy scurrying toward her.

“Riku!” She instantly recognized because a familiar ivory-haired boy was scampering behind him. She extended her arms and caught him in an embrace.

“Hehehehe! Good morning, Miss Tsumugi!”

“Haha…” She was tickled on her neck by his breathing. “Good morning too, Riku!”

“Riku! I said don’t run!” Tennard finally reached the finish line. He was panting, but not wearily.

“I did not run! Just did fast walk, right, Miss Tsumugi!?”

“Hahaha! If you say so!”

“Not you too, Miss Tsumugi!”

“Ten-nii, angels do not lie!”

“But you said I am an angel too…”

“Of course, Ten-nii is always angel!”

“Riku–”

Out of the blue, the twins were enveloped around Tsumugi’s arms. Her knees were on the floor and her face was slightly buried on the narrow space between the top of their heads. On the one hand, Tennard, who met her a few times before, sensed that she was not as enthusiastic as she always displayed. On the other hand, Riknard, basing on his brother’s story, had a hunch that something, maybe, happened to the lady.

But maybe never made it to Riknard’s dictionary even after Tennard taught him some new language stuff, so he assumed that she was lonely.

“Ah! Miss Tsumugi! I can sing for you!” He volunteered as he leaped his way in front of Tsumugi who still had Tennard engulfed by her embrace.

“That’s very nice of you, Riku.”

The twins could see her smile but the sadness in her eyes wouldn’t fool anyone. Even these three-year-old-kids.

“Miss Tsumugi?” Tennard called as considerate as he could sound because he was genuinely concerned about their angel.

“Hm?” She lowered her gaze to meet Tennard’s. Surprisingly, he was not escaping from her enclasp.

Tennard radiantly smiled at her. He didn’t say a word. As if that was the cue for Riknard to start, the performer handed his teddy bear to his brother before going back in front of them. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the same way Tennard did when he first performed for Tsumugi.

“You are the song playing so softly in my heart…”

“Oh…,” Tsumugi mumbled. Tennard thought that it was a regular vocalization of her amazement so he didn’t mind it.

“I reach for you…You seem so near, yet so far…”

Tsumugi’s hold started to be shaky. 

“I hope…And I pray…You will be mine someday…”

But not shaky enough for Tennard to notice.

“I know…Just in time…You are mine…”

Tsumugi felt that her earlobes and nose, by that time, had come to a conclusion.

“And I’m your…True love…”

And it was just her eyes that had the final say.

“Or am I dreaming…?”

It was a sunny day, but for Tennard’s hair, it was rainy. And it became stormier with the upcoming part of Riknard’s song. But not even a storm could tear his gaze away from his beloved brother. In fact, he just covered his hair with Riknard’s teddy bear.

“How can I…Each time I try to say goodbye…You were there…You look my way, I touch the sky…We can share…Tomorrow and forevermore…I’ll be there…To love you so…”

Until the last line of the song was also sung by another voice. A crying woman’s voice.

“You are my song…”

And both twins were shocked to see Tsumugi – pink eyes were glittering because of the spilling diamonds; reddish face almost beat the color of her eyes, and lips were slightly parted, and yes. It was her voice.

“M-m-m-miss Tsumugi?” The children called in synchronize, but they were not the only ones who called her. Momorle, Anesagi, and Yukieu, who just arrived, also stammered at the sight of their dear lady.

“W-w-why cry?????” Riknard streaked toward her, small palms wiping the left side of her face.

Tennard also started wiping the right side of her face. “M-miss Tsumugi…”

“Ah…I’m sorry! Hahaha…” She sniffed and laughed nervously. “I was so moved with your voice, Riku!”

“Madam…,” Anesagi was the first one to approach.

“Oh, you have arrived!” She forced herself to sound optimistic.

“Ah! Sir Momow and Sir Yukyu!” Riknard exclaimed, still wiping Tsumugi’s face.

“Why, good day, Riknard. And you too, Tennard,” Yukieu gestured a nod.

“Eh? Yukieu? You know Tennard and Riku?”

“Lady Tsumtsum...” Momorle was hiding behind Yukieu’s tall figure. 

“I don’t think we can see you cry anymore so…”

“So…?”

“Come on, Momorle,” encouraged Yukieu as he held him on his shoulders and made him face the lady.

“So……..ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I CAN’T SAY IT, YUKIEU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Momorle suddenly burst, burying his head on Yukieu’s chest.

“...I don’t understand…” Tsumugi’s confusion grew. Even the bloody lipstick of Anesagi formed a downtrodden curve. After a while, Tsumugi felt a tug on her dress.

“Miss Tsumugi, fight with Sir Gaky–”

Tennard’s hands found their way on Riknard’s mouth. “R-R-Riknard!”

But Tsumugi’s ears were really gifted.

“H-how did you…” She wanted to ask how did Riknard know about her husband’s name, but what’s more important to ask was, how did he know that they had a fight?

No one would believe if Tennard described his twin as a sickly child because Riknard effortlessly removed his brother’s hands from his mouth. He then grabbed his teddy bear from Tennard’s hold and proudly presented it to Tsumugi.

“Sir Gaky gave me and Ten-nii teddies!” Riknard innocently shared, no pain aimed at anyone.

“R-really…?” Tsumugi’s lips barely moved because she was busy controlling the tears in her eyes. “Is that true…Tennard…?” 

She then looked at him, who in turn looked at the three adults who were truly lamenting. He then finally gave the lady a “sorry” and sorry expression.

“…S-Sir Gaky…He said he tried his best to…redecorate the park…,” he hesitantly admitted. Tsumugi did notice the unanticipated transformation of the park since she was never able to approach her husband to share her ideas.

“H-he…also gave us t-teddy bears as…Umm…Thank you for making you happy…” He intended to stop there before things got more dramatic.

But Riknard hasn’t grasped the skill to be sentient yet. “Mhmm, mhmm, mhmm. Sir Gaky said he away for two weeks so me and Ten-nii make Miss Tsumugi happy then when he back, he give more toys and play with me and Ten-nii!”

Tsumugi couldn’t believe that these kids knew something that she as his wife didn’t even know. Of all the things he would say to her behind the door, he never mentioned it for the past three days.

“You see, Lady Tsumugi,” Yukieu finally spoke on half of Momorle who was still being consoled by him, “The Duke heard from Momorle and Anesagi about your encounter with Tennard several days ago. He got interested after hearing the stories so when he found out that you’d also meet his twin, the Duke wanted to go with you. But you seemed to have a misunderstanding so…”

Anesagi added the most important details, “If only I discovered earlier that the papers the Duke was checking were about the renovations of this park and the water drainage on the alleyway where Tennard and Riknard live, I should have helped him make up with you…Actually, he also proposed for a circus group to visit the town which the kids might enjoy…He also proposed to sponsor some tailoring shops in your hometown in exchange for making the twins' garments...”

“Oh my…,” Tsumugi uttered in disbelief. So he was preoccupied with something that would make Tsumugi beyond happy. Just why didn’t her patience rescue her at that night?

She immediately stood up and wiped her own face, regaining her composure. She won’t forgive herself if her husband would have to burden himself with something that he didn’t deserve to feel in the first place.

“Is Gakphonse still here?”

“Yes!/No.” The twins answered at the same time but it seemed like their twin radar was not turned on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD LOL WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO ME OH MY GOSH I MADE IT!!! I LOVE MYSELF!!! OTL OTL OTL OTL OTL ༼ಢ_ಢ༽ I will just check the mistakes later coz I still have to review for my exam haha (இ﹏இ`｡)
> 
> I can’t believe Gaku’s yaotomeme here is…sad lol (≖͞_≖̥) (for me) especially when I imagine him 1) throwing jokes for almost a day 2) sleeping on the floor just outside their bedroom 3) singing the song and please don’t hate Tsumugi, okay? We all have some bumpy moments…
> 
> The songs are “You are My Song” and “I can” by Regine Velasquez, the Asia’s Songbird! If you have time, please check them out! c:
> 
> I hope Ten is satisfied with Riku’s cuteness in this chapter…more like, I hope the twins are cute for all of you!!!! (so nobody will question why our Gakutsumu couple will adopt them U…..U)
> 
> Gaky was a typo from Ten in a rabbit chat haha! xD
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


	4. Tennard and Riknard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ Thank you very much for your patience! <3
> 
> In all honesty, nothing from the initial outline (and mental episodes) of this story ever happened LOL QwQ…Everything just changes whenever I start to type and I just wanna punch myself coz the horizontal plot I planned branches out to sooo many segues *cries OTL* The only original part that was maintained here was the train setting lol…
> 
> But I really love the revisions coz they are more colorful (and gave more cutenesssss) imo :) soooo!! I really hope you’ll enjoy this chapter! v^-^v
> 
> (I really want to finish Ten and Riku's pre-adoption arc coz I want to review for JLPT5 again ヽ(；▽；)ノ )

“Ten-nii! Why say no when yes!?”

“Because it’s really a no.”

“Wrong!!! Yes!!!”

“But–”

“Angels don’t lie Ten-nii…” Riknard started to sulk.

“I’m not lying though…?” The confusion from Tennard’s voice was evident. He really wasn’t lying.

“Ten-nii just did…” His voice showed signs of disappointment. Eventually, his breathing got hefty, making his chest pound quite rapidly.

“R-R-R-Riku, are you a-a-a-alright?” Tsumugi, who was listening patiently to the twins was startled with the wheezing of the red-haired. She immediately took out her white hankie from her chest pocket and fanned his face with it.

“OH MY GOD!!! MADAM, HERE!!!” Anesagi panicked as she also used her large bloody red fan to aid.

When Momorle saw what was happening, he stopped hugging Yukieu, just to drag him near the kid. “YUKIEU!!!!!!! QUICK!!!!!!!!”

“Momorle– What– Oh–,” Yukieu just found his long sheeny hair being used by Momorle to provide circulating wind to Riknard.

“W-wait, Riku, calm down!” Tennard rubbed his back gently, hoping that what he was fearing won’t occur. He also talked as fast as he could to clear up their misunderstanding. “Sir Gaky isn’t here in the park, right? So he’s not here!”

“Oh…,” Riknard voiced with the realization of his twin’s point. “Yeah!! Ten-nii right!! Sir Gaky not here!!” His breathing fairly returned to normal. 

Everyone sighed in relief, except for Tsumugi who also exhaled her dismay. But she could inhale a ten-fold hankering.

“But Ten-nii, Sir Gaky still here! No water big boat…Too early he said hehe!! So…umm...UMMM…..” 

Riku fidgeted because he wasn’t sure of the accurate word for the mode of transportation. Instead, he imitated its sound. “CHUCHU!! Dundundundun CHUCHU!! Dundundundun CHUCHU!!”

“Ah! I remember now!” Tennard was enlightened as well as to why his twin answered yes. “Miss Tsumugi, Sir Gaky said he’ll go by the train because he was still sleepy!”

“Train…Train! You mean, he’ll ride the rail transport?” Tsumugi seemed to flap her wings again, filled with hope.

Yukieu felt his pride as Gakphonse’s right hand man soiled a bit, though he didn’t mind at all because the adorable twins in front of him were able to build a small yet effective hole in Gakphonse’s impenetrable barrier. At least, he could cleanse it again by something he only particularly knew.

“Lady Tsumugi, I apologize for not knowing the Duke’s plan, but if it is by the train,” he paused to glance at Momorle’s wristwatch, “Then the next trip of the afternoon set of the trains will be exactly after forty-five minutes. If we ride the carriage fast, it will take us thirty-seven minutes. But since the Duke is going to the assembly concerning the enhancement of the fortress security, he will likely ride the last black wagon because it has cabins, so it will save us time in searching for him.”

“Oh, so that’s why…I thought he always stays there because it has free food haha!” Tsumugi shared the little knowledge she could scrap from Gakphonse’s stories when he was still courting her.

“If that’s the case, then let’s go to the carriage now!!” Momorle clapped his hands repeatedly as if to wake everybody’s adrenalin rush.

“Um…,” Tennard awkwardly raised his hand.

Anesagi patted the twins’ heads. “Don’t worry cute kids, this beautiful lady will escort you–”

“Actually, I can go with you. I know a shortcut.”

“R-r-really? Thank you!– Wait…,” Tsumugi recalled the incident earlier. “But how about Riku? Will he be fine if he goes with us?”

“Miss Anesagi was saying that she’ll stay with us so I think she can–”

“Noooo!!!!! Me want adventure too!!!!!” Riknard shook Tennard’s left arm. “Please Ten-nii!!!!!”

Tennard sensed the urgency to chase Gakphonse. And also to save his left arm from being almost ripped apart.

* * *

Thanks to Tennard, it only took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the rail transportation. But for Momorle and Yukieu who were in charge in leading the horses and listening to his instructions, they wished that the kid didn’t have to experience miserable things just to identify the shortcut. The two made a telepathic promise that they won’t disclose it with their lady since it was very injurious for her kindness. Furthermore, once Gakphonse heard about it, he would not think twice to hunt down this fatso lady who slaved him to clean shoes – and to always get a good spot to have customers, just to earn fiver copper a day, which was only good for buying either three root crops or a half wheat bread.

Tsumugi was the very first one to get off from the carriage, but she was confounded to see the mass of people at the station. It was difficult to reach her destination because people were thronging all over the place. It also took her time when she had to escort a lost white haired-boy with purple eyes back to his uncle who they discovered collapsed at the ticketing area; when she gave her tawny laced boots to a mother, a foreigner who couldn’t speak well the empire’s native language, whose heels were snapped; when she had to offer her white handkerchief to an orange-haired boy’s baby brother who was eliminating disorderly at that time; when she offered a liquid dessert to a hungry baby because his mother won’t lactate; when she assisted a spiky-haired toddler in hiding, and when a tanned kid needed an assistance in closing a baggage.

Spending twenty-five minutes of good deed, the Idoltrigvale lady was finally at the side of the platform where the black wagons were situated. But it was unforeseen that there would be a mob as well in that location, despite the fare being more expensive. Was spring the time for the capital people to go to a vacation? Most of them were sitting on the bench and chattering, some were waiting impatiently for the train door to open.

And her husband was one of the latter.

“Gakphonse!” Tsumugi shouted in reflex, though she knew that the wide distance and the rowdy setting made it impossible to make him turn her way. She pierced through the crowd but someone bumped against her.

“Hey! Look at where you’re going!” A long-haired lass yelled at Tsumugi who fell on the ground on her pelvic. 

“I-I-I’m s-s-sorry!” Tsumugi embarrassedly apologized to the lady who was wearing a glamorous pure white ball gown, opposite of the angry expression she was wearing on her face.

“Sorry? SORRY!? What will you do if you damaged my dress– OH NO!!!!!! Do you know how much this costs, huh!?” She furiously yelled more at the blond who was lurching as she tried to recover from her stumbling.

“U-umm…” Tsumugi wanted to point out that the dress was in good form and the only thing that was not in tact was the black ribbon that got detached.

The lady meticulously observed her from head to toe. “Besides, plain dress…No footwear? Seriously! What does a girl like you doing here?”

Tsumugi tightly clenched her fists on her chest, gathering enough courage to request the lady to forgive her so the commotion wouldn’t garner more attention. “P-please hear me out–”

“Hear you out? Don’t make me laugh! You didn’t even see me on your way then I’ll be the one to hear you out? Wow, just WOW!”

When Tsumugi heard a sound of mocking suppressed laughter from some of the bystanders who really did bother to watch the scene unfold, she couldn’t find the voice she always possessed whenever someone needed her help.

“What?” The lady sniggered. “Do you have MONEY to pay me?”

Tsumugi lowered her head to conceal her wavering lips, “M-m-miss…I j-j-just want to s-see my–”

“See what? Your way next time? Oh sure, before you pay me first.”

“R-r-right now…?” Her money was currently with the three reliable adults whom she entrusted to spoil the twins while they were waiting for her return.

“What do you expect? Ahhh…...Of course, with the wage you are earning, you probably cannot pay me even for a lifetime!”

“I-I-I promise, I’ll pay you b-b-back!”

“How dare you talk back to me!” 

The disgust howled by the lady turned inaudible to Tsumugi’s ears. Her senses withdrew from the humiliation. She never liked attracting public attention, much less a scandalous one. The stares that gave chills to her whole body were a mix of sympathy and ridicule. She wanted someone to help her, but she would understand if they didn’t want to be taunted too. But couldn’t they at least call a staff’s attention? Or more like, why were there so many rude persons who live a life their attitudes didn’t even merit? At the end of her own mental argument, she despised how debilitated her audacity was.

Out of the blue, she felt a pair of small hands on her both sides of legs.

“Miss Tsumugi!” The twins harmoniously called.

“Tennard…Riknard…,” She softly murmured before her voice grew concerned just like her eyes that were trying to find a rationale behind her infirm side. “N-no…Wait, why are you here?” If the twins stayed with her, they would also suffer from the contempt she herself couldn’t retaliate against. 

But their focus was aimed at the frenzied lady.

“You! Why fight Miss Tsumugi!” Riknard pointed at the lady using the hand that was holding his teddy bear.

“Maybe she wants attention,” Tennard simpered.

“No maybe! Mad lady want attention really!” Remember, maybe would never exist in Riknard’s set of lexicons.

“I think she just doesn’t know how to tie a ribbon?” Using his foot, Tennard reached for the black ribbon which was a few inches away from Tsumugi’s bare feet. “Or she didn’t know how to use it properly?” He then glided it toward his side and began sweeping the ground with it.

“W-w-w-what are you saying–” The lady’s high pitch couldn’t equalize Riknard’s inborn high voice.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! Ten-nii genius!!!! Mad lady stupid HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” His teddy bear facing the lady, if breathed of life, would also laugh at her.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. She’s so stupid, she forgot baaaasic manners.” Tennard slowly bowed his head and made an exaggerated sway in his hand, still rubbing the ribbon against the ground.

“You little–” The lady was about to swoop her way toward them when she heard an outburst of unsuppressed laughter.

“Manners? Me thinked rich persons have them?” This time, Riknard intended to slap the conscience of everyone who was just surrounding Tsumugi and the lady before they arrived.

“Maybe she can’t buy it because it’s VERY expensive that even her parents can’t buy it for her.”

“Oh,” Riknard stopped pointing at her and rested his hand on Tsumugi’s knee. “Then mad lady poor from the start!”

Couldn’t contain the embarrassment coming from the twins, the lady grew horns and really charged toward them this time. However, Tsumugi and the twins’ attention were stolen by the train’s departure sound.

Tennard, kind of panicking, tugged Tsumugi’s skirt repeatedly. “Miss Tsumugi! Sir Gaky! Go ahead and look for Sir Gaky! We’ll take care of that mad lady!”

Riknard seconded it. “Yup!!! Me and Ten-nii twin powers– WAH!” His teddy bear was already flying off at the direction of the train. 

All of a sudden, Tennard’s brocon meter reached its aggressive mode. “Hey! You! Who do you think you are!–”

Riknard let go of Tsumugi and went to snuggle his twin, nuzzling against his chest so as to stop his exploded temperament. “Ten-nii…No fight…”

“Riku…” Tennard didn’t want the same incident to happen so he chose to comfort him than to stress both of them. 

When the mad lady sensed that the best time to get her revenge precipitated, she thought of talking back at the twins, but even before the culprit could part her lips, Tsumugi’s slender fingers landed firmly on her cheek. When the lady’s head recovered from being turned away, Tsumugi gave her another round of a sharp slap. When the lady turned to face Tsumugi for the second time, the blond lady was holding the twins on their shoulders, keeping them close to her. Her pink eyes, flickering something that should have been there from the start, met her eye contact without breaking away.

Everyone was dumbfounded. It was as if Tsumugi, in a blink of an eye, turned into a goddess who was ready to show her wrath. Just about time.

But the lady didn’t surrender easily. “YOU! HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME WITH THOSE FILTHY HANDS AS DIRTY AS YOUR FEET! FIRST, MY DRESS! NOW, MY FACE? LET ME REMIND YOU, NONE OF WHAT I HAVE COSTS YOUR LIFE!”

The lady stepped forward, arms extended to pull Tsumugi until a very menacing voice urged from a distance.

“And the next generation of your family will never cost even a single hair strand of my wife. Or, why don’t we make it three generations because you almost made these kids cry?”

The murmurs burst into burbles of shock when the source of the threat was revealed.

“D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Duke G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-Gak–,” The lady spluttered at the man behind her three targets. Her lips quavered in the same way as her dignity as an aristocrat did.

“Say my name and I’ll have your blood spurted.”

The lady fell on her knees and bowed her head, somewhat bumping her forehead loudly on the ground. “Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-our E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-Excellency–”

“Anyone who doesn’t pay respect to my wife will have their heads beheaded tomorrow.”

Like magnets readily subjected on the gravity, the bystanders did the same gesture with all possible haste and care for their lives. Coming at the station to ride the train became so trivial at that moment.

Gakphonse shifted his focus to his wife and the twins whose embrace to each other was unbreakable.

“Don’t raise your heads until the bell rings. And if you understand what I said, don’t respond anymore.”

As much as Tsumugi wanted to turn her head to face him, her frailty was back already, consuming her whole body. She knew well that she was there to see him, but with the unanticipated sneering that landed on her and the children who tried to help her, she was too petrified to let the world know more about who the respectable general’s wife was. And Gakphonse was aware of that even without her saying it.

The tightening grasp on their shoulders served as a notification to the twins that more than the teddy bear, they were there to see the man who gave the plushy.

“Sir Gaky…,” both the twins called quietly. With their twin radar on, they synchronized in looking at him, looking at Tsumugi, then looking at him again. 

Gakphonse gave them a half smile and gestured at them. “Stay close to me.”

The twins stared at each other prior to going beside the tall figure, with Tennard leading Riknard’s hand.

“Tsumugi, let’s go in the train with the kids,” he whispered in her ears in a mellow tone.

“My feet…,” Tsumugi weakly responded, still not looking at him despite their close proximity.

“Then I’ll have mine the same.” Without further ado, Gakphonse removed his leather boots.

“W-w-what are you–” She turned to see him unstoppable in his decision.

“Just so I can see your face again.” From his one knee on the ground position, he lifted his face to show her a very relieved expression. 

“Ten-nii, can we give shoes–”

“Shh.” Tennard gestured at his twin. “They’re having their moment.”

“Oooooooooooooooooooh.” Riknard nodded, grabbing his twin’s hand to cover his mouth because he knew he won’t be able to control himself in giving unnecessary reactions.

“Alright!” Gakphonse proudly stood on his two bare feet.

“G-gakphonse…”

“Come on.”

Tsumugi was still reluctant to go, not because she and the twins didn’t have tickets– they would deal with that later, but the very scenario of Gakphonse stooping down to Tsumugi’s level at that occasion was too much for her to imagine.

“Tsumugi, let’s save the apologies later.”

“B-but…”

“Please? If not for me, just for the kids.”

Tsumugi really had a long list to apologize for.

* * *

Gakphonse escorted Tsumugi and the twins first at the cabin he reserved. He planned to wash his feet first before wearing his boots then proceeding to ask for a pair of any available footwear the train staff had in their logistics. 

“Tsumugi, excuse me for a while. I’ll go to the–”

“Sir Gaky, find teddy?” Riknard, who was just about to climb his leg to sit, asked.

“Ah, Riku…,” Tsumugi put her arms on his waist and carefully placed him beside her. “Tennard, come here. Let’s have you–”

“I’m fine. I can–wah!” Tennard’s arms jerked upward when his feet suddenly left the floor. 

“What a heavy kid.” Gakphonse deadpanned.

“Hehehe! Ten-nii surprise!” Riknard patted Tennard’s lap. The older one just inflated his cheeks. He would have talked back to the silver-haired man but he was nice enough to bring them along with him, so he’d just let it pass. For now.

Tsumugi extended her arms and stroke the twins’ heads in her amusement as she asked her husband. “Gakphonse, do they serve lunch here?”

“No, they don’t. But they have desserts. Should I ask for some?”

“Yes, please. If they have choco–”

“Riku and I will have vanilla.” Tennard interrupted.

“Oh? I thought you like chocolate.”

“Ten-nii and me love chocolate. But only Ten-nii eat them.”

“That’s because it’s bad for you, Riku.”

“Mhmm…Me cough a lot when ate chocolate. This hurt.” Riknard was pointing at his chest.

So that was why Tennard only ate the chocolate-flavored sweets before. Tsumugi smiled at the twins. “Tennard is such a nice brother, isn’t he, Riku?”

“Yup!!!!!! Ten-nii best brother in the world!!!!!”

“D-Don’t say embarrassing things, R-Riku…!–” Tennard found his head being rubbed with a large hand.

“Then, I’ll get everything except for chocolate. I’ll be back. Don’t bother my wife too much.”

“Yes, Sir Gaky!!!” Riknard waved enthusiastically at him. Before Tennard could turn to the standing man, he had already closed the sliding door and walked away.

After a few minutes, some train personnel served a portable low table where the three trays of desserts were placed. Each was teeming of cupcakes, muffins, flavored breads and waffles, cakes, and something that Tennard hasn’t seen.

“Miss Tsumugi, what is this one called?” He pointed at the one within an oblong transparent glass.

“It’s an ice cream!”

“Ooooh,” both twins answered.

Tsumugi giggled. It was the first time she saw Tennard having the same innocent reaction after a new discovery and apparently, Riknard seemed to react the same way. She took two teaspoons in her both hands and dipped a small portion of the dessert.

“Here! Have a taste!” She presented the utensils in front of the twins.

“Ten-nii, Miss Tsumugi flowers…wings…shine shine circle head…” Riknard mumbled.

“Yeah…I can see them too…”

“Hehe...!” Riknard laughed before he had the tablespoon inside his mouth. “Ooooh! Ten-nii, sweet!”

“Really?” It was Tennard’s turn to have a taste. “Hm! It is!”

“Miss Tsumugi!! Can have more?”

“Of course!” Tsumugi dipped the tablespoons again.

“Miss Tsumugi, we can eat by ourselves–”

“It’s alright, Tennard. Let me feed you, please?”

“Miss Tsumugi…”

“Ten-nii! Let Miss Tsumugi! Pleaaaase?”

“Riku’s right, Tennard. Pleaaaaaaaaase?”

Tennard was seeing two irresistible pair of eyes and hearing the same childish plead which he couldn’t turn down. “Pfft. You two are like kids.”

“Says the one who isn’t a kid.”

The door suddenly slid.

“Gakphonse, don’t talk like that to him– E-e-eh!?”

“But he’s talking to you like that,” he reasoned out while wearing the white covered slippers on Tsumugi’s feet. He was at the opposite seat in front of her.

“But Ten-nii nice, Sir Gaky.”

“If he’s nice, he’ll let you two be fed.”

“Huh?” Both twins had their head tilted. 

At the back of Tennard’s mind, what’s the connection between being nice and being fed? He wanted to clarify it, but his adult mode was unintentionally activated. “Riku will not understand that. Rephrase it.” 

Gakphonse was sure that he just heard a demand from the ivory-haired, but he would like to focus more on the confused red-haired who seemed to cannot wait to nom on the teaspoon Tsumugi was holding on her right hand. “If your brother is nice, he will let my wife feed the two of you because this dessert, ice cream, melts. When it melts, it becomes liquid, like water. And when it’s like water, when it drops on your clothes, they will get dirty.”

“Ahhhhhh.” Riknard nodded his head in understanding. “Ten-nii nice so Miss Tsumugi feed ice cream, right, Ten-nii?”

Before Tennard could reply, Gakphonse drew their attention. “Look, Riku, I’m nice so I’ll let my wife feed me.”

The man bent forward and enticed Tsumugi to feed him by staring at her intently with his eyes, begging her to give in, and lips, curved so perfectly in a handsome smile.

Tsumugi couldn’t help to be flustered. After all, it has been four nights and three days since she saw her husband wearing that expression. Her hand moved on its own and fed him a filled tablespoon. As he took it inside his mouth, he didn’t tear away his gaze from the blushing lady, who blushed even harder when he licked lips and smiled again at her.

“See?” He looked at Riknard, grinning widely.

“Yeah. Small spoon, big mouth.” Tennard smirked.

Riknard thought that Tennard’s reply was already a go signal. “Hahaha! Me too, me too, me too!” 

Tsumugi’s daze at her husband was shelved with Riknard’s excitement shaking their seat. “O-o-oh, yes!”

And so the twins were fed not only by Tsumugi who was very creative in offering the tablespoons to them such as making flying, twirling, and waving movements, but also by Gakphonse who readily sliced the other desserts so the two kids could chew them easily. After the light meal, the twins decided to sightsee at their cabin’s window. Since they were not used with riding vehicles, both of them got dizzy after an hour of pointing here and there, several times cautioned by Gakphonse that if they didn’t stop putting their index finger outside the window, they’d only have four fingers left.

Tsumugi suggested the twins should sleep since she didn’t have with her a medicine for motion sickness. At first, Tennard was hesitant because the seat was too narrow for them to lie down side by side, but seeing Riknard drowsily extended his arms to Tsumugi and got dozed off easily around her arms, Tennard felt the desire to do the same. 

Gakphonse noticed the glint on his eyes which were staring at Tsumugi who was rocking Riknard to sleep. “Tennard, why don’t you sleep too?”

The kid was awakened from his reverie. “I can’t. I’ll watch over Riku.”

“It’s alright, Tennard. Riku’s sleeping now so you can sleep too,” Tsumugi assured.

“Come on. I’ll sing you a lullaby.” Gakphonse offered. 

“No need–”

“One, little two, little three, little Tennard. Four, little five, little six, little Tennard. Seven, little eight, little nine, little Tennard. Ten little Tennard boys.” 

Tsumugi tried her best to conceal her laughter as she never thought that he would hear him sing like that with overelaborated gestures, seemingly dancing too.

“…Pfft!” Tennard covered his mouth. Was he really meaning to sing songs like that to make a child sleep?

“Do you want more?”

“…I don’t.” Tennard wanted to watch more laughable body movements, but he was afraid that the Sir Gaky in his mind would be replaced by Sir Silly. 

“Then what should I do so you’ll sleep?”

Gakphonse’s sincere intention was conveyed through his kind smile to the kid. Tsumugi was well aware of Tennard’s personality and in order to make him feel that he shouldn’t worry too much about acting like a real child, she spoke words of tenderness.

“Tennard, if you don’t feel well, you can take a nap until you’re fine. There’s no harm in taking care of yourself. Look at Riku, he doesn’t feel dizzy anymore because he’s already sleeping. After he wakes up, he’ll have the energy again to have fun with you. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you two will have good dreams. I’ll be your guardian angel while you’re sleeping!”

“…Okay– W-wah!”

“So, how can I make you sleep?” Gakphonse asked after he positioned Tennard around his arms, supporting the kid’s back head and trunk. He also removed the kid’s messenger bag and placed it at the edge of their seat.

It took a few seconds before it was registered on Tennard that someone was really putting him to sleep. He glanced as his twin, whose angelic sleeping face could be seen in an idyllic angle from his position. 

“The same thing Miss Tsumugi is doing to Riku…,” he mumbled on Gakphonse’s shoulder blade.

“Alright.” He then began rocking the kid as well. He was sure that he sensed the kid’s lips curving inwardly. When he checked on Tennard who grew quiet, his eyes were already peacefully closed and his shoulders were not as stiff as they were when he was resting against him. 

Both of the twins’ heads were now resting on the adults’ shoulder while their short arms were wrapped loosely around the necks of the couple, respectively.

“Umm…Gakphonse,” Tsumugi shyly called.

It was about time they talk about themselves. “Tsumugi…”

“I’m sorry…”

“I’m sorry too. I’ll always look who’s at the door from now on.”

“I’ll be more patient too when you’re working…”

“Nah. I can also take a break–”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” There were two things that he didn’t inform her. One, he knew about the twins. Two, his agenda for two weeks.

“I don’t want you to think that I’m using the twins as an excuse.”

“But weren’t you working on something for them?”

“If I’m more efficient, it’d only take a day to review the papers.”

“Then what about your absence? It’s only Yukieu and the twins who know about it…”

“You know how much that good-for-nothing emperor loves to be last-minute all the time.”

“Gakphonse, you don’t address His Highness like that…”

“Then he should stop bugging me like that too. He should miff his own damn son.”

She didn’t know whether it was his callous nature or he was just really not in good terms with the current empire’s monarchy.

“Tsumugi.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry for making you experience something you don’t deserve.” He was talking about the incident near the train platform.

“Y-you don’t have to apologize…! I brought it upon myself…”

“No. If I had been more privy to what’s happening around me, I would’ve noticed the commotion.”

“But I was at fault. I was hurrying so I didn’t see the lady–”

“I’ll clean my ears better. It seems like I need to work on my sense of hearing.”

“Says the one who still sings good without any instrumental background haha…!”

Gakphonse watched his wife laughed maidenly that even the two twins breathed giggles. Did they also see her laugh in their dreams?

“I wish you’d be stronger for yourself, Tsumugi.” Gakphonse didn’t intend to lace into her delicateness, but how he wished she would really be her own heroine.

“I wish too...I’m your wife but I’m not as strong as you–”

“Being my wife doesn’t have anything to do with you being strong.”

She could only flash him a rueful smile. He leaned on his side and planted a short kiss on her forehead, careful not to move noisily for the twins to wake up.

“If you want to sleep too, you can give me Riku.”

“Thank you, but I’m good. Besides, aren’t you the one who’s sleepy that’s why you chose to ride the train?”

“I can’t sleep now that I have to watch over three angels.”

She smiled in all-ears. He was generous to children, but not usually fond of them per se. But it was a new thing for her to see him normally interact with the twins just like a real father to the two. “But you’re also an angel for them.”

“I don’t think an angel bathes in blood.” A conscience-stricken smile was evident on his face.

“Honey…” If only Tsumugi could embrace his compunctious feelings away from him.

“Anyway, that even reached you? The whole details about riding the train.” His brows hid behind his curly bangs. She hummed in affirmation.

“So, is it Tennard or Riku?”

“Hmm…Why don’t you try to guess?”

He frowned. “Honey, you know I’m bad at guessing.” 

“Just try?”

“This is hard.”

From his looks, he was glancing back and forth at the sleeping twins. If anything, Tsumugi was glad that he was considering both children in having a sharp memory.

“I think it was Riku.”

“Why is that so?”

“Because he’s more talkative.”

Tsumugi’s body shivered from giggling, making both the dreaming angels slightly inhale a sharp breath. She adjusted Riknard’s head on her collarbone so he could rest his neck as well. As for Gakphonse, he continued rocking Tennard as he patted the kid’s lower side. He began singing songs and eventually, she also fell asleep. From his perspective, her sleeping serenely was as scenic as breathing. He shifted Tennard’s head’s position on his chest so his wife could lean on his shoulder. To also keep her and Riknard safe from an imbalance, he slid an arm around her waist, his hand also extending on Riknard’s lower back.

Listening to his own voice for hours, he didn’t realize that it was only an hour before they reach the last station. Tennard wakened first. His head left Gakphonse’s chest, eyes still closed and his upper body wobbling. Gakphonse ensured that his hand, swaying like a bamboo, would not leave the kid’s trunk or else, he would fall. After a few seconds, Riknard also woke up, stretching his back and arms. When the curtain of his eyes were lifted, the very person in his sight was the teetering Tennard.

He lazily tweaked his brother’s left elbow. “Ten-nii…”

A muzzy Tennard maffled with a whir. “Mmmm….”

“Pee…”

Gakphonse waited for Tennard to awaken, but the kid was still groggy. “Mmm…Mmm…Riku pee…”

“Ten-nii…Pee…” Riknard continued to tweak Tennard, though this time, it was on his shorts.

“Mmm…Me too…Pee…”

Gakphonse was not sure if Tennard just reiterated Riknard’s statement or he was feeling the same need. 

“Ten-nii…Me Pee…” Riknard’s brows started twitching.

“Me too…Pee…” Tennard’s eyelids slowly uncovered his sight.

“Ten…nii…Pee…Can’t…Hold…Anymore…” Riknard’s body began shuddering as he lugged his brother’s thigh.

“Me too– Riku!” Tennard’s melatonin was finally drained away. His body jolted which caused his back to straighten and his eyes to be wide-open. When he turned to his twin, the younger one’s eyes were already teary. Inasmuch as the older brother wanted to aid him, he himself had to control the urgency. His body began to jiggle too. Furthermore, even if they were to go by themselves, they didn’t know where the comfort room was.

Gakphonse never handled a child emergency case. What if these two were still wearing the cotton fabric thingy that babies had to wear for expelling unwanted stuff? Or, what if one of them, worse, both, suddenly wailed on their way to the comfort room? As much as he didn’t want to disturb his sleeping beauty’s resting time that even Tennard’s yelp didn’t chipped on, he prodded her waist repeatedly with the hand he was using to support Riknard. The lady hummed hushed tones, forcing her eyes to open.

“H-honey?”

“Mhmm…?” Tsumugi’s eyes were half-lidded, though she knew from the tone of his voice that she was needed.

“The kids need to go to the toilet.”

“Oh. Oh!” When Tsumugi looked at her right side, Gakphonse was wearing a very fretful expression as if a daunting task just slapped him.

“Sorry, I’ll carry both of them.” He slid his right arm under Riknard’s underarm and carried him gingerly. 

Tsumugi slid the door open and tailed behind him. It was a good thing that Gakphonse had long legs and was used in marching, cutting off a few minutes of their walk. As he waited outside, he could hear squealing and laughing noises from the comfort room which made him smile at himself. When they got out from their special agenda, the vigor of the twins was resurrected. He was about to carry them again when Riknard suddenly ran, causing Tennard to rebuke him while running after him. An exchange of screeches reverberated along the train wagons. Tsumugi had to chase them as well because they might get woozy again from the motion of the train. 

When Tennard finally drew levels with his brother, Riknard’s stomach produced a crunchy sound. He only chortled at his own embarrassment, a super effective tool for his older brother to relinquish his common trepidations until his own stomach also replied to Riknard’s. When Gakphonse caught up first, he found them both cackling. If they had a child or children of their own, Gakphonse would probably hear the same energetic shrieks every day. And he would never mind that.

Tsumugi had to go to the comfort room so she had to step away first. While Gakphonse accompanied the twins in apologizing to the passengers because of the uproar, everyone who they visited was rather astounded. How could the great general Gakphonse be asking for a pardon with two adorable twins? It was as simple as to guarantee that everyone would absolve the twins from their little enjoyment. It was a win-win solution though. A good number of people, including commoners, were able to talk to the general they were exalting. Bless the two cute kids.

On their way back to their cabin, the twins were too hungry to walk another lengthy distance for their short legs so Gakphonse voluntarily carried them on his arms, Tennard on the left while Riknard on the right. At the back of his mind, he couldn’t believe that their tummies were already empty after eating more than what was expected from them to consume on the sweet courses a few hours ago, making Tsumugi ask for additional afters and if he remembered correctly, they were served twelve jam-packed trays of desserts, eleven which the twins stuffed down.

“Sir Gaky? Why people look?” Riknard gazed back and forth at the passengers who didn’t leave their eyes off the three.

“Don’t mind them, Riku,” the man said, attention focused at the narrow path they were sauntering.

“Sir Gaky?” The red-haired called once more.

He let out a low vibrated sound.

“Teddy lost. Can find?”

Tennard recalled from Yukieu that the travel time was six hours. That meant that they only had around thirty minutes left if ever they would push through the search. “Riku, I can just give my teddy bear to you.”

“Me no get Ten-nii teddy.”

“Why? Is it because it has a different color?” Tennard’s teddy bear was color coffee.

“If me get, Ten-nii no more teddy.”

“Then, should I just buy you another cream-colored teddy bear?” Gakphonse asked curiously. As a matter of fact, he was willing to purchase more animal plushies for these kids just to know what nicknames they would devise for each one. If it were dinosaurs which seemed to be popular among the contemporary toddlers, would it be diny?

“E-e-eh!? N-no…” Riknard waved his head and hands frenetically. 

“Why? I promise, it will be the same teddy bear.”

He gazed down at his fidgeting fingers. “’Coz first gift from Sir Gaky…Precious…”

That left an “o” at Gakphonse’s and Tennard’s lips. Riknard was truly a pure, innocent angel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Will check my mistakes / typos later!)
> 
> It took me long to write (more like, it really does take me so much time to write a chapter too) because I’m running out of descriptive words and ways to present gestures and actions .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·. I will improve my wordings so you can imagine the scenes like it’s a real animation >//^//<
> 
> Next chapter will be the last for Ten and Riku’s pre-adoption arc because even Gaku admits they’re cute hahaha :D
> 
> I’m thinking of signing up in wattpad and tumblr to have my gakutsumu/i7 stories available to a wider audience but I’m not yet sure (´～ヾ) I’ll probably be like Sougo once/if I joined, adoring all i7 fans and posts haha! Actually, I’m just scared that I’m way too behind from my fellow i7 fans coz hello, I only discovered i7 this July 2019 (ㄒoㄒ)
> 
> P.S. The mad lady here is Hanamaki Sumire. Idk I just hate her lol. 
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


	5. Mommy Tsumugi, Daddy Gaky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ This will be my last long update for now because the end of Ten and Riku’s pre-adoption arc marks my return to my JLPT5 review ༼ಢ_ಢ༽ My original plot for the 3rd kid to be adopted (haha, won’t drop the bomb!) was also in a mess so I’ll figure out how it will be more natural orz…
> 
> I really hope you’re enjoying the story because I’m really having fun writing this! I’m learning a lot of new ways to express stuff and my love for Gakutsumu just…just… *cries like a proud mama* T_T <3

When Gaku and the twins, still on his arms, returned to their cabin, a white-haired kid just closed the sliding door and leaped on his way to his uncle. When Tsumugi noticed them from the transparent door, she slid it open and greeted them with good news.

“Ah, welcome back! Look, Riku! Your teddy bear has returned!” The plushy was being held by Tsumugi on her lap. 

“Uwaaaaah!! Teddy!!!” Riknard reached for his toy, making Gakphonse bend his knee.

“That’s great, Riku!” Tennard patted his twin’s head as he rocked his teddy bear.

“Honey, was it the kid who returned it?” Gakphonse took a seat beside Tsumugi, bringing the twins down so they could play at the opposite seat. 

While Tennard took out his coffee-colored teddy bear from the messenger bag at the edge of the couple’s seat, Gakphonse lifted Riknard so he won’t have to struggle sitting up.

“Hehehe!! Thank you Sir Gaky!!” He was swinging his legs alternately in enjoyment. 

“Let’s play now, Ri– waaah!”

“Do you really get surprised easily?” Gakphonse asked Tennard as he also lifted him from behind to help him sit beside his twin.

“It’s b-because I’m not i-informed!” Tennard riposted but his slightly reddish face was betraying him.

He chuckled at him and ruffled the kid’s hair. “Then next time, I’ll inform you.”

Tennard would form bubbles on his cheeks but Riknard started poking his right cheek with his teddy bear.

“Ten-nii has a teddy bear, teddy bear, teddy bear. Ten-nii has a teddy bear, color coffee…”

Riknard’s modified version of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” brought a divine silence in the small space. Until Tennard continued the nursery rhyme while also poking Riku with his teddy bear.

“Riku has a teddy bear, it was lost, but returned. Riku has a teddy bear, it’s color cream…”

“Ten-nii has a teddy bear, me has a teddy bear. Ten-nii has a teddy bear, he’ll play with me…”

“Riku has a teddy bear, I have a teddy bear. Riku has a teddy bear, I’ll play with him…”

It wasn’t Tsumugi’s first time hearing their angelic voices, but it was the first time she had heard them sing a children’s song. And it was truly healthy for her heart.

“I should practice singing more than I practice sword fighting.” Gakphonse remarked in awe. It was not his first time hearing children singing, but it was his first time intently listening.

She giggled and latched her right arm onto his left. “Don’t worry, I still love your singing voice best.”

“Which one? Singing love songs or kiddy songs?”

“…Secret…!”

“It’s you and your secret again.” 

He flicked her forehead lightly but she just kept on giggling, especially at the sight of the two children who were playing teddy bear puppets. He removed his arm from her latch and wrapped it around her shoulder, twirling a few locks of her hair around his index.

“Ah, now that I remember. Was it that kid who returned Riku’s teddy bear?”

"Mhmm! He said that he wanted to return it earlier, but he was afraid of you.”

“Ha?” Gakphonse flatly voiced.

“Because the teddy bear suddenly hit your head. When he picked it up, he saw how annoyed you were.”

“But how did he know that it’s Riku’s?”

“He seems to be dropping by each cabin to ask who the owner is. But he skipped ours because you were the only one who was awake when he passed.”

He stopped playing with her hair and smirked at himself. “So I still look like someone who’ll eat kids even when I’m singing.”

“E-E-E-Eh! That’s not true! The kid happens to know me as well because I helped him earlier!”

“Ah, I see.” He looked at the two twins who were still busy playing. “So it was Riku’s teddy bear…”

“Hm?”

“The reason why I was able to see the commotion behind me.”

“Ah…”

Before Tsumugi could drop her head, he caught her chin on his fingers, making her face him.

“Don’t you think we owe the twins?”

He was giving her a suggestive smile. She knew he’s thinking about something to repay the two kids, but she couldn’t allow him neglect his work, much less his official duties.

“After you come back from the North,” she said, smiling back at him. She put her hands on top of his which was resting on his lap. “The kids and I will come back tomo–”

He shifted his gaze back to the twins. “I won’t be going to the North anymore.”

“E-E-Eh? But it’s an order from the emperor. You can’t ignore him anytime you want, Honey…”

“That job is for his son. I just told him I’ll support the fortification, but it doesn’t mean I’m responsible to it.”

“But other leaders are probably expecting you since you have made your way here…”

“I’ll just have Yukieu and Momorle go. It’s a good experience for them too.”

“…You sure are not fond of the emperor, aren’t you?” Tsumugi’s brows couldn’t hide her anxiety.

“It’s because his son is that Tsukumo guy.” 

Gakphonse spitted out the name like it’s a dirt within his system. Fortunately, Tsumugi was there to cleanse all the filth he was feeling at that moment with a single peck on his cheek. Since his attention was on the twins, he suddenly hummed a low vibrato. When he faced her, she was smiling gently at him. And in his eyes, she was brimming with flowers.

“How about we just go with you? I haven’t been to the North anyway. I’m sure everyone can manage the mansion while we’re gone.”

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s for two weeks. Won’t you be bored?”

She shook her head and looked at the twins who were still playing with their plushies. 

“How can I be bored when there’s so much to do in life?”

* * *

When they arrived at the last station, it was already eventide. The sky was painted with hues of orange, blue, and strokes of gray. The place was a province and the establishments were not as cosmopolitan as those at the capital. It was a good thing that Gakphonse had one baggage only and the sword that he had with him was a slender one. In his other hand, he kept Tsumugi’s, who was holding Tennard, who was holding Riknard, who was holding his teddy bear. 

The four of them went to Gakphonse’s recommended eatery to have their dinner first since the kids were already hungry, given as well that they didn’t eat lunch. The sets of food were not as presentable as the courses served in restaurants, but the wooden bowls and spoons were just right for the twins to use. This time, they were eating by themselves. Tsumugi also made a mental note to remember the tastes of the viands because their piquancy was really first-class. She would like to cook these with the spices available at the town market when they return. Gakphonse couldn’t believe that they just ordered everything available at the menu in one mealtime, which he and his two attendants didn’t even accomplish after eating several times here.

They also dropped by a few apparel stores to accommodate their unplanned one night and one day-stay at the province. Tsumugi went to buy a new pair of boots while Gakphonse accompanied the twins in trying out new sets of garbs. Affrighted that Anesagi would scold him for not being adept in fashion, he just decided to buy whatever the twins wore at the fitting room. The weather’s temperature was one of Riknard’s opponents so Tennard decided to get him a muffler, a pair of gloves, and a bonnet. When Gakphonse realized that they were only for the red-haired, he requested the shop clerk to get him another pairs of the same raiment. Not only that he surprised the ivory-haired with his perceptiveness, but his wife was also at loss of words with the one carton box of garments he was carrying on his arm when they fetched her at the shoe shop. In his defense, he also bought a handful of dresses for her with countryside designs, which he knew she preferred than the ones from the capital.

They were supposed to stay at the popular lodge in that area, but the distance was not friendly for the twins’ legs, principally that Riknard started to breathe in puffs. Moreover, Tsumugi’s pace became slower, a sign that her legs were giving up too. Horse carriage was also impracticable in an unfamiliar place at evening, particularly that their attires were conspicuous. If only his hands were free and Tsumugi still had the stamina, they could carry the twins. Don’t get him wrong – he only stayed in this province when he had to take the connecting trains during his official duties so he was not really accustomed to the surroundings. It also didn’t help that there was a scarcity of lights in the midst of the hours of darkness. In the end, they took a room in the nearest inn they spotted.

While he talked with the inn owner about what the humble locale could offer its tourists, Tsumugi was left with the kids in their small room. Prior to it, she was with Riknard only outside the room they rented because Tennard inspected the room first, saying that it must not have any dust or else, he would tidy it before Riknard steps his foot inside. Thank heavens, the room passed the older brother’s standards of being speckless.

It didn’t take Gakphonse long to go upstairs, but it also didn’t take long for the three angels to say goodbye to nighttime. Tsumugi was supposed to shower with the kids but the three of them were really beat. He found them already sleeping on the single bed. The twins were huddled up in each other’s arms, with Tennard’s head resting above Riknard’s. Behind the red-haired were their teddy bears, performing as additional guardian angels for the two. But the most endearing sight was his wife, whose arms were a pillow and a safeguard for the kids. She had them nestled in her love. She really looked like their mother. And considering the scenario, he was their father.

In spite of being cautious not to make a noise from his footsteps as he ambled toward them, Tsumugi’s ears were really keen when it came to her husband. She left out a faint thrum before she turned her head a few degrees angle behind.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Gakphonse whispered after he planted a kiss on the side of her crown. 

Even in her dazed state, she never failed to smile beautifully. “Welcome back…I sang them to sleep but it seems–”

“Shh. I’ll sing so you can go back to sleep.”

“How about you? The bed is too small for us…”

He placed the white blanket over them. “It’s alright, Honey. I’ll not sleep anyway.”

The elbow of the arm the twins were resting on jostled, causing the kids to drone. To prevent them from waking up, Tsumugi patted their sides quickly and lightly with her free hand. 

Gakphonse sat on the wooden floor. He began caressing her head as if putting her back to her slumber. “The assembly was announced in public and we’re staying in an unguarded inn. By the way, let’s just keep the lights on. The kids are sleeping already anyway.”

“Mhmm…But, even just for an hour or two?”

“This is nothing compared to sleepless battlefields.”

Every time he mentioned words related to what he usually called as his calling, she couldn’t push through further. “…Okay.”

He was about to give her a goodnight kiss when she called out.

“Honey?”

“Hm?”

Tsumugi turned her head again to him, hoping that her words of love, which he has been void for three nights, could keep him warm in the meantime. “I love you.”

How he missed the way she said it to him. The wilted garden of love within his heart has finally been showered with sunlight. “And I love you too.”

He knelt on the floor so she won’t have to adjust her position which may cause the bed to creak. His lips were only an inch away from her when they heard undertones coming from the twins.

“Ten-nii…Me love Ten-nii…”

“Riku too…I love Riku…”

“Me love Miss Tsumugi too…”

“Me too…I love Miss Tsumugi too…”

“Sir Gaky…Love too…”

“Sir Silly…Love too…”

He was only supposed to give his wife a kiss on her forehead. But something inside him just sent the cue that the twins also deserve it because of the two unique nicknames they have baptized him.

* * *

Tsumugi woke up at the peeping sunlight outside the window and at the hushed sounds of catching one’s breath, revealing her husband to be doing physical exercises on the floor at the start of daybreak, which was always his thing. She carefully removed her arms from the twins to get out of the bed and prepare for the day. Gakphonse continued his morning routine as she took a shower.

Between the twins, it was Tennard who wakened first. It was natural in his body clock that as soon as the morning sunshine hit the surface of his eyelids, they would be opened. And as soon as he spoke the words, “Good morning, Riku…”, Riknard’s ears would send a signal to his mind that it was time for him to greet the new day.

“Hmm…Ten-nii…Morning…,” he greeted while he rubbed his eyes. Both of them sat on the bed, stretching their tiny arms.

“Ah, you two are awake. Morning,” Gakphonse greeted without pausing from his pushups. When Riknard saw what he was doing, he got curious. 

“Oooooh…Sir Gaky, what doing?” Producing simultaneous creaks, Riknard crawled out of the bed and stood between the furniture and the man.

“This is called a morning ritual.”

“Ri...tual?” The kid tilted his head. It was his first time hearing such a word.

“Don’t listen to him, Riku. He’s doing an exercise,” Tennard butted in as soon as he also got out from the bed.

“But it’s really my morning ritual,” Gakphonse defended after he finished his last set of pushups. “And it’s so early in the morning to be annoyed haha.” He lightly flicked Tennard between his slanted brows.

Tennard exhaled through his nose, “…Coming from you who’s all sticky in the morning–”

“Hehehe!! Sir Gaky, me too!! Hit here!!” Riknard’s amusement cut off his twin. He happily volunteered the same spot on his head to the man.

“Sure! Come here!” Gakphonse eagerly gestured the grinning kid to come closer, but the frowning brother stopped his twin.

“Riku! Don’t! Can’t you see, he’s all yucky! He’s full of germs right now!”

“Yucky?”

“Yes, look at him. He’s sweaty.” Tennard pointed firmly at Gakphonse’s plain white collared shirt.

Riknard lowered his gaze and began laughing. “Hahahaha!! Ten-nii right!! Sir Gaky yucky!!”

“Ha? Who am I now?” Gakphonse pointed at himself with a very jumbled expression, his back slouching forward.

“Pfft! Hahaha! Sir Yucky!” Tennard laughed along with Riknard.

“Then why don’t we all get yucky!? Ha!” Gakphonse suddenly enveloped the twins in his both arms, tickling them on their bellies and sides.

“Hahahaha!!!!” Their laughter coincided with one another’s. 

When Tsumugi got out from her shower, she was in all smiles from the resounding boisterous cracking ups from the boys. After several minutes, it was decided that the twins would take a shower with Gakphonse so she could arrange all their belongings inside his baggage, leaving only the teddy bears in Tennard’s messenger bag. He didn’t have the slightest clue on how she would do it, but he had faith in the miracle her household skills would bring.

“Sir Gaky, what is this?” Tennard asked while his head remained lifted, trying to examine the white substance Gakphonse put on their toothbrushes.

He carried the twins and made them stand on the two stools in front of the mirror sink. “It’s a toothpaste.”

Tennard’s eyes won’t leave his new discovery. He knew about toothbrush but he didn’t know that it had a partner. “What is it?”

“It’s used for cleaning the teeth.”

“Clean teeth? Not salt?” Riknard was grinning at the mirror, probing his own teeth.

“Erm…Salt is okay, but toothpaste is better.”

“Why better?”

Gakphonse was trying his best to explain without tapping the subject of salt being cheaper. “Because salt is salty and toothpaste has many flavors.”

“Ooooh,” both twins voiced in wonderment. He smiled at them and handed their toothbrushes. 

“Is this sweet flavor?” Both asked at the same time while scrutinizing the toothpaste, twisting the toothbrush horizontally.

He chuckled at their cuteness before putting some on his own toothbrush. “Let’s try then.”

The shower took longer than Gakphonse thought. The kids were very ticklish when he was applying lotion to their bodies, especially their nape, belly, and feet. Furthermore, the kids kept on questioning what were these and those, although he patiently answered everything that was thrown at him. He understood very well where their curiosity rooted from. But he himself also had inquiries regarding where they originated.

“Say,” he blurted out while drying Tennard’s hair with the inn’s towel. Riknard’s open palms were still enjoying the warm water coming out from the faucet.

“You two are too young to live alone.” He didn’t want to launch a skyrocketing question. If anything, he would let the older brother to open up in whatever manner he would like to answer. Several seconds passed and all he could hear were Riknard’s squeals and the spluttering of water he’s making.

Gakphonse resigned the idea that Tennard would share with a total stranger to their lives. It was a pompous paradox that he who had iron palisades around him would endeavor inside a three-year-old kid’s wooden fences. 

“Our parents sold us.”

Snapping out from his short-lived drama, Gakphonse’s thoughts were bewildered.

“Mom sold Riku because he gets sick easily. Dad sold me because they got debts to pay in their business.”

Tennard’s voice was not quaking, but Gakphonse could see how his eyes did, as reflected on the mirror.

“I was sold to a good man, but Riku wasn’t. When I tried to sneak, I just found out that they were sacking Riku every time he would cry. So I saved him. A white-haired man let us ride his carriage when he saw us. I didn’t care where we were going…”

Tennard gazed at Riknard with gentle eyes and lips. “But as long as I’m with Riku, I’ll do my best to live.”

Gakphonse discarded all the curses he was prepared to chant to all the irresponsible adults in the world when he saw Tennard’s angelic expression. Was Mathematics wrong in computing his age? 

“Why didn’t you go with the man who help you?”

“He’s sick too and we can’t just burden others with our own problem.”

Somehow, he could see himself in the kid when it came to Tsumugi. And maybe, that was the reason why he really wanted to get close to him and to his twin.

When Tennard felt that his hands already halted, he raised his head to look behind him. “Sir Gaky, are you done– w-wah!”

Gakphonse started throwing him up in the air and catching him in his underarms.

“W-w-what– down – not– baby–” Tennard protested in pauses, sounding like Riknard. After a few rounds, Gakphonse finally sat him on the stool.

“You’re not a baby, but you’re still a kid. Drill it inside your head.”

“Sir Gaky…What are you…Haha…Hahaha….”

The silver-haired was using his nose to tickle the kid on his belly, like a ram piercing through a rock fissure. The only protection Tennard was wearing was his beige shirt.

“Eh…Eh?” Riknard was interrupted in his own leisure. He then scampered to them and climbed up the available stool before lifting his red shirt, revealing his bare tummy. “Sir Gaky!! Me too!!”

“Ha! How brave of you, Riku! Here…I…Go!!!!!!” After Gakphonse left Tennard still not recovering from laughing, he started rubbing his nose against the red-haired kid’s belly.

“Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!”

Gakphonse stopped tickling the twins when Riknard’s breathing produced tiny sharp sounds. He didn’t want to be reprimanded by both Tennard and Tsumugi. Before they completely left the bathroom, Gakphonse dried Riknard’s hair and made the twins wear their socks and shoes. Tsumugi didn’t question what took them so long and what was behind all those screams in the bathroom, but she wanted to know where his husband planned to spend the day before they leave the province tomorrow.

The inn was serving breakfast so they stuffed their appetites before checking out. They went to the strawberry farm first, which was Gakphonse’s most anticipated tour. It was paradise for his taste buds, but not for his skin.

“Sir Gaky? Tomato?” Riknard lifted his farm hat and glanced at the crouching man whose large body was sheltering him and Tennard from the sunlight.

“Hm? There’s no tomato here, Riku,” Gakphonse answered but he didn’t stop from plucking strawberries and putting them inside the half-filled bottle jar Tennard was holding.

“I know...” Riku returned to plucking strawberries with his pouty lips. 

Tennard heard Riknard’s sullen voice and decided to avenge his brother. He patted Riknard’s flopped back and stood beside the busy, whistling man. “Sir Gaky, I think you don’t belong in this strawberry farm.”

“Ha?” Gakphonse arched a brow to Tennard but was still doing his business in the farm. “What is it this time?”

“Your face is a tomato.”

“My face is a – shit!” Gakphonse’s hands reflexively searched for the straw hat he was supposed to wear, but he didn’t notice that it was just hanging on his back. When his vision was shaded with the headwear, he was sure to see Tennard simpering like a demon cat.

“Sir Gaky face shit?” Riknard wondered and that had Gakphonse baffled. 

He laughed nervously and patted Riknard’s shoulders. “Ahaha…haha…Riku, that’s–”

“Shit? What is shit?” Tennard repeated, but Gakphonse was arguing inside his brains whether the kid was fooling or not.

“Ten-nii, what shit?” But the core issue was not about Tennard. How dare he tarnish Riknard’s innocence?

“I don’t know what’s shit too, Riku. It’s my first time hearing the word shit.” Tennard shook his head at his twin.

Riknard stopped plucking the strawberries and began tapping multiple fingers on his chin. “Shit…Shit…Shit…”

Tennard mimicked him, though he was only tapping his chin with an index. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”

Gakphonse’s ears were going crazy. It’s not about him wanting to zip their mouths but if it was possible, erase the censored word from their dictionary. He was already feeling guilty and was prepared to be scolded by Tsumugi, until he saw Tennard’s sneering lips and eyes that were shooting him mockery.

“Tennard, you brat–” Gakphonse stopped his tongue but it was a syllable late.

“Brat?” Riknard repeated while Tennard was holding his laughter at Gakphonse’s reaction who badly wanted to cut his sharp tongue with the saber he was carrying with him. No, he’d do it after he apologized to his wife.

“Brat? Shit?” Riknard dusted off his black shorts and went to stand beside his brother. “Ten-nii, what brat shit?”

Tennard just shrugged his shoulders at him.

Suddenly, Riknard clapped once. “Ahhhh!!!!! Me know!!!!!!” 

“R-R-Riku, you don’t have to know–” Gakphonse was drawing his index nearer to the red head’s lips when he began singing and clapping.

“Brat! Brat! Brat! Shit! Have you any woow! Yes, shit! Yes, shit! Shit brat fuw! Owp!”

“Riku…!” Gakphonse immediately put a strawberry inside his mouth. “When you eat this, you’ll forget it!

But Tennard continued where his twin was cut off and he was sure that the man, who was really freaking out, won’t be able to cease him because both of his hands were on Riknard’s.

“Brat! Brat! Brat! Shit! Have you any wool! Yes, shit! Yes, shit! Shit brat full!”

“Tennard–”

“Honey!” Tsumugi’s happy voice suddenly called. Her straw hat matched not only her white buttoned collared shirt but also her pinkish cheeks that made her lovely face glow more under the sun.

“Oh my fucking god.”

Two interpretations: Gakphonse being the luckiest man married to the goddess of smile and Gakphonse cursing himself when he imagined how scary she could be when chastising him about his misconducts. Her lectures would last longer than Anesagi’s. 

“Mish Chumyungi!!!!” Riknard easily escaped Gakphonse’s grasps on his shoulder and arm and scurried along the clear soiled path toward the happy lady.

While Tsumugi’s attention was on Riknard’s, Tennard stuck his tongue out at the petrified man before switching into his kid mode, blissfully sprinting toward the lady with the bottle jar in his hands. “Miss Tsumugi!”

Riknard was still chewing his strawberry. “Mish Chumyungi! Weschon!” 

“Hm? Riku–”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! Hooooooneeeeeeey!!! Can we buy earbuds?” Gakphonse tried to draw her attention with his low playful voice, although he really wanted to buy earbuds to dispel the reverberating curses of the twins inside his eardrums. He started striding toward her, catching up with Tennard, thanks to his long legs.

Tsumugi would answer back at his weird request but Riknard tugged her turquoise skirt. “Weschon! Weschon!”

“Oh! You mean question!” She crouched beside him and wiped his mouth. “There! All clean! So what’s your question?”

“Hoooooneeeeey – H-hey!” Gakphonse was hit by a hot strawberry on his nape, causing him to turn to Tennard who was giving him a smug look.

Riknard swallowed his strawberry. “Umm…”

“Come on, don’t be shy!” Tsumugi encouraged as she also cleaned his tiny fingers.

“Umm…Hehehe...I forgot…,” he giggled sheepishly.

“Miss Tsumugi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Tennard screamed at the top of his lungs, defeating Gakphonse’s intention to draw her attention to him.

“Ten–” Tsumugi turned her head in front of her, revealing a race between a short kid and a tall man, making her giggle. “–Nard!” Her giggle turned into a gasp when she saw the ivory-haired tripped over a pebble. 

“W-wah! – Eh?” Tennard was sure his face was going to land either on the strawberries that fell from his bottled jar or on the soiled ground.

“What a brat.”

Fortunately, Gakphonse captured him and the bottled jar exactly within his big hands’ grasp.

When Tennard was on his feet again, his hand found itself tugging the man’s black pants. “T-t-thank you…”

“Correction. I saved the strawberries.”

Tennard’s brows twitched as he glanced upward to bring back his embarrassment, but he saw Gakphonse’s playful smirk. And he knew the man was just kidding him. Even before the kid could retort, Gakphonse hoisted him and made him sit on his sturdy arm. He removed his straw hat and put it on the kid’s head.

“Use mine. It’s getting hotter.”

Tennard could only nod his head while holding down the hat with his two hands for two reasons. First, it was oversized. Second, he was covering his blushing cheeks because he was not used with Gakphonse’s little ways of expressing his kindness.

“Let’s not give my wife a second heart attack, okay?”

“Mhmm,” he mumbled in agreement.

When they were only a few steps further, Tsumugi carried Riknard in her arms to sprint toward the other pair. “Honey! Tennard!”

“Ten-nii alright?” The red head asked, reaching his twin to dust off his beige shirt and black shorts.

“I am. Thank you, Riku,” Tennard murmured, still hiding his face behind the hat.

“Good! Good! Thank you, Sir Gaky – EHHHHH!?”

“What’s wrong, Riku?” Did he see his blushing face?

“Ten-nii!!!! Look!!!! Sir Gaky!!!!”

“Huh? What’s with Sir Ga–”

“T-t-t-t-t-tomato.....................”

When Tennard raised the hat, he was very shocked to see the sudden alteration of Gakphonse’s color on his face and the upper portion of his neck. 

“H-h-honey! Did you forget to apply the sunscreen I bought? You know how sensitive your skin is with the sun…,” her voice couldn’t afford to rebuke him when she was worriedly rubbing his face lightly with her another handkerchief.

“It’s fine. The kids got to use the whole bottle anyway.”

“E-e-eh? Y-y-you used up everything?” Tsumugi pictured the twins bathing in lotion.

“Why not? Skin care is important. Anyway, I can’t wait to eat the strawberries,” Gakphonse invited as he pressed the bottled jar against the quiet Tennard’s inflated left cheek.

As much as he wanted to admit, Gakphonse was not used with the well-behaved twins. During the rest of their stay at the strawberry farm, they didn’t leave Gakphonse’s side. They were holding his hands but were never uttering a word. When they had lunch, Tsumugi ate more desserts than them when usually, it was Tennard who finished most of the sweet courses. When Tsumugi asked the twins to sit on her lap, none of them did because they sat on Gakphonse’s lap. When Gakphonse gave them a sharp look so they could follow Tsumugi’s request, the twins ended up bawling. From their perspective, Gakphonse’s look was obstructing their air’s passageways. Thankfully, Tsumugi was able to calm them and put them to sleep in her arms. While the twins napped, they didn’t get to hear her berate him with words that surely made him reflect that he should never glare like that again to any child.

Upon arriving at the circus, which was the one that he requested to visit the capital, the couple thought that the twins would be enliven, but much to their surprise, after hours of watching spectacular performances, they were still quiet. Tsumugi asserted that it was just an environmental shock for the twins so Gakphonse just let the kids be. It was him who assisted them in wearing their mufflers, gloves, bonnets, and small coats because the temperature was getting cold outside, but they were still mute. Came dinner and arriving at the connecting train station to the North that night, they didn’t want to be left behind with Tsumugi. They insisted to go with him in buying tickets and loading the baggage somewhere in the train. 

It left Tsumugi confused, not because the twins were clinging onto her husband like a mighty bond – she actually liked that – but for them to be so silent and to avoid her? That caused her to be gloomy like her wings just got stripped away from her back. Gakphonse was determined to put an end to the awkward situation but the lady in his arms dozed off in the middle of her contemplation. It was a good thing that the cabin was bigger and there were two single-spaced beds on the opposite sides, leaving the twins asleep on their own space. He was also finally getting his own share of rest and this time, he was beside his most beloved. Just when he was about to enter his own version of dreamland, he heard a sniff beside him. When he opened his eyes in an instant, he saw a crying Tsumugi.

“Honey?” He softly called as his right thumb wiped her droplets of tears. “What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”

She shook her head in response as she also wiped her own tears. He brushed her hair away from her forehead and gave her a long kiss on it.

“…Honey?” She murmured. 

He pulled away and started forming circles on her right cheek. “Yes?”

“Did I do something wrong when we were in the strawberry farm? Don’t they like it when I’m asking them to sing? Or maybe…They got afraid of the circus tricks? Or… My perfume today is too strong so they don’t want to come close to me? Or, what if…They ate something that contains witchcraft to hate me? W-what if–”

“...Shh…,” he hushed as he stopped playing on her cheek to use his right index to make her dismiss her brooding. “Let’s do something about it tomorrow, okay?”

“…Tomorrow…”

“Yes. I promise, we’ll sort it out.”

“…Promise?”

It was a promise sealed within their goodnight kiss.

“Yes, I promise because I love you. And I don’t want to see you sad.”

No matter weak her smile was, it was still treasured by him. He snuggled her closer, making sure that her head was resting perfectly on his left arm and no creature would get inside the blanket that was covering her body. All his care for the world just vanished at the sight of the lonely fallen angel. It was not that the twins were sending creeps under his skin because of their wholly different behavior, a very caring attitude at that, but he knew how worrywart his wife was. 

They arrived at the entrance to the North right after eating their early breakfast at their cabin. To cross the border, they would have to ride a horse carriage. But Gakphonse decided not to set foot on the North without settling the issue among them. Ignoring the soldiers who were paying him salutes and the familiar annoying nobles’ voices that were greeting him. Some were asking why his face seemed to be different; some were asking why he was with his wife and when did they have adorable twins – even those around them found them irresistibly cute. Nonetheless, Gakphonse directed the two kids in his arms and his wife who was walking slowly beside him. Note, beside him, so he was matching her pace.

When they checked in the nearest hotel to the festive area – a five-story stoned building like a mansion –they all took a shower, although the twins were still deafeningly mute and Tsumugi was the last one to enter the bathroom, as requested by her husband. Once the boys were done, they headed to the carnival without her. The place was not yet mobbed since it was only six thirty in the morning.

Gakphonse halted from his tracks when they reached the gate and put down the kids on the brick walkway.

“Tennard. Riku.”

The twins just lifted their heads to match his gaze. When he sensed that it was difficult for them to keep up their heads, he crouched in front of them.

“What’s going on?”

They stared at the ground. No answer.

“Why aren’t you two talking?”

Still no answer.

“Tennard…”

His lips were still compressed.

“Riku…”

His fingers were only fidgeting.

Gakphonse heaved a sigh. “You know, my wife cried last night.”

Both twins jerked on their head and suddenly faced the dejected man.

“M-m-miss Tsumugi cry?” Riknard was the first to unzip his lips.

“Yes. Because you two were avoiding her.”

“W-we are not avoiding Miss Tsumugi…!” Tennard shook his head briskly to repudiate his statement.

“Then why aren’t you talking to her? Actually, that’s not the case. When we left the strawberry farm, you two have gone quiet.”

“That’s…,” Tennard’s voice fell.

“And up until now, you’re making my wife very, very, very lonely because she doesn’t know what’s going on with you two.”

“S-Sir Gaky…M-me and T-T-T-Ten-n-n-nii…,” Riknard’s voice began to tremble.

Gakphonse didn’t utter a word and accepted the staring contest against the two pair of eyes that were not breaking away their gaze at him. The wind blew a little harder, making his silver curly locks of hair sway.

And for Riknard, it just added more tension. The freezing air and the icy yet warm look from the man.

“M-m-me…And…cough…T-T-Ten-nii…cough…Bad…cough…”

“R-R-Riku!” Tennard rubbed Riknard’s back as he led him back to the normal way of breathing, demonstrating relaxed inhalation and exhalation of air.

“R-Riku, calm down…! I’m just asking–” Gakphonse was cut off by the sudden tears that were coming out from the red head.

“S-S-S-Sorry…! Sorry…! S-S-Sir Gaky…! M-me and T-Ten-nii bad…! Sir G-Gaky face tomato but me and Ten-nii bully…! L-L-Lotion for Sir Gaky b-b-but gave to m-m-me and Ten-nii…!”

Riknard confessed in between his panting. Gakphonse would like to tell him that all was well when Tennard suddenly whimpered.

“…S-Sorry…sniff…Sir G-Gaky…sniff…We’re bad…sniff…P-p-please don’t…sniff…Get angry…sniff…”

The sound of their sobbing panged a pain on his cold heart only Tsumugi could turn mellow. Not wanting to prolong everyone’s sorrow, he engulfed them within his arms and kissed the crowns of their head.

“Tennard, Riku. You two didn’t do something wrong. And you’re not bad. You’re just playing like what kids are supposed to do. On top of that, you two are angels!” He tried his best to comfort them like how his wife would do.

Tennard wiped his nose and looked at him. “We still are…?”

“Of course! Anyone who makes my wife happy is an angel!” Gakphonse cleaned the ivory head’s face with a blue handkerchief from his chest pocket. It was one of the hankies Tsumugi made for him and he made sure to bring one with him anywhere.

Riknard seemed to calm down a bit too, wiping his eyes with his green muffler. “But Sir Gaky said Miss Tsumugi cry ‘coz me and Ten-nii no talk…”

Gakphonse stopped Riknard from using his muffler. He changed the side of his blue hankie and used it instead. “Because my wife misses your angelic voices! Don’t you know how much my wife loves your voices?”

The twins exchanged stares at each other.

“Say, why were you quiet though? And you kept on tailing me behind like puppies haha!” He was trying to lighten the mood, though he could only come up with a corny correlation.

“Mom and dad mad, say shut up Riku and Ten…,” reasoned out by Riknard with a melancholic voice.

Gakphonse inhaled a lot of gasses that would emit all the dark thoughts he just had about the twins’ biological parents as he exhaled them. “…I see. But why were you two always by my side?”

“So Sir Gaky will forgive us…Our parents always told us that they’d forgive us if we follow their orders…We’re waiting for Sir Gaky but you’re not saying anything…,” Tennard admitted with an unconfident voice.

Gakphonse had no intention of hearing another backstory from the two regarding their parents.

He rested his hands on their shoulders and gave them a very apologetic smile. “Tennard, Riku. I’m very sorry if I made you feel scared.”

The twins shook their head.

“We sorry too…”/ “We’re sorry too…”

“But you know, I’m not really angry.”

“But Sir Gaky face tomato ‘coz no lotion.”

“It’s alright. It will return to normal.”

“Oooooh…! How?” / “Oh! How?”

Gakphonse pinched their cheeks that were returning back to being bubbly. 

“Can you give me a kiss on my cheeks?”

Gakphonse imitated Tsumugi’s inflated cheeks, which he assumed she got from Tennard’s way of blowing his cheeks.

“Hehehe…! Sure! Sure! Sure!” Riknard leaped quickly and gave him a kiss on his left cheek. After that, the red head repeatedly patted the side he just pecked, as if saying that everything was fine already so it should go back to its original state.

After Riknard’s turn, Tennard didn’t know whether he should succumb too or he was just shy to express his affection for Gakphonse. It was the first time he experienced a parental love that way, to think that neither Tsumugi nor Gakphonse was their parent, yet, those two just kept on making them feel that they were precious. Were they always like this to other children?

But a part of him was still struggling with trust issues. In spite of Tsumugi being out of the list because she was undoubtedly an angel, Gakphonse was just the very epitome of a person not everyone would approach. His intimidating eyes, powerful presence that made those people at the two train stations revere him in a blink of an eye, well-maintained posture, speech mannerism just like his sharp tongue, and ultimately, the sword he always had with him. Wasn’t sword used in deadly acts? If their parents sold them because they were sick and tired of taking care of useless kids, would Gakphonse kill them once he also had enough?

If only he was as pure as Riknard, he wouldn’t think about these ugly train of thoughts. But no. He wasn’t. And most importantly, he wasn’t Riknard. He was Tennard.

“Can I trust you?” That was supposed to remain inside his mind, but he unconsciously vocalized it. Even his eyes were as shocked as Gakphonse upon hearing the very critical query.

And it was unfair for Tennard who spent a minute in battling against his own rationality when Gakphonse eroded his barriers in just a second with his smile resembling Tsumugi’s. The kind of divine smile that went hand-in-hand with the shimmer in their genuine eyes.

“You can. I pledge with all my love for my wife.”

Tennard’s eyes reacted faster than his motor skills. He was spilling tears of guilt.

“Sir Gaky…Sorry…I’m really a bad kid…,” he professed in the most minimum volume of voice that he could produce. 

“T-Tennard?”

“Ten-nii?” Riknard stopped slapping Gakphonse’s cheek which has returned to normal since a few minutes ago. “Eh…? Ten-nii cry?” He then darted to his brother’s side and wiped his tears while his another hand patted his back. But Tennard just kept on sniffing and as if tears were contagious, Riknard began to cry too. “Ten-nii…”

Gakphonse took the two silently wailing twins in his arms and stood up. He should find a way to make the kids feel that they were free from charges.

“Now, now. Do you want to know how I made my wife stop crying?”

The two twins with reddish eyes nodded. Gakphonse grinned widely at them and kissed them in their foreheads, leaving the twins blinking and blushing from his sudden action.

“…Hehe. Me happy! When Sir Gaky kiss Miss Tsumugi, she happy too?” Riknard asked without any R-18 meaning.

This time, it was Gakphonse who became flustered, although it was not obvious because of his reddish face. “W-Well…Maybe?”

Even after staying with two adults, maybe hasn’t made it yet in Riknard’s lexicons. “No maybe! Yes! Yes!”

Gakphonse just laughed heartily at the red-haired. All of a sudden, he felt someone peck his right cheek.

“…T-There…,” Tennard shyly voiced out. “A-Are we forgiven…?”

“Ah. You’re pretty stubborn haha. You two didn’t do anything bad anyway so what’s there to forgive?”

“Miss Tsumugi cry,” Riknard supported his brother’s side.

“Hm………Ah! Then one more thing.”

The twins were all ears. They were taking it seriously.

“Can you promise me you’ll NEVER say SHIT and BRAT?”

“No,” the twins replied as fast as the speed of light.

“…Seriously?”

The twins were chortling at his reaction. In all honesty, Riknard didn’t know what those two meant but during the entire two days and a half, starting from the incident when they went to Tsumugi at the platform, his twin radar was on so he just sensed that Tennard would say no. 

And their world began rotating again when they saw a petite figure coming to their way. Just about time to clear up all their misunderstandings.

“Then, just say sorry to my wife. I’m sure she’ll understand because she loves the two of you,” Gakphonse put down the twins and patted them on their backs, cueing them to charge forward the lady in yellow. The two twins nodded eagerly at him and scampered their way to her.

“Miss Tsumugi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Both exerted the same high level of vigor.

Before she could look at the echoing source of gy, two pairs of hands were already hugging her around the sides of her waist.

“T-T-Tennard?” She rested her hand above the ivory head on her right. 

“R-R-Riknard?” She rested her hand above the red head on her left. 

“We sorry!” / “We’re sorry!” They apologized in unison.

“Oh…”

“Miss Tsumugi! Ten-nii explain!” Riknard just did a baton pass, which Tennard accepted without hesitation.

“Um, Miss Tsumugi! We did three bad things to Sir Gaky! First, we used all the sunscreen lotion for his face. Second, we bullied him. Third, we thought badly of him.”

With Tennard’s abrupt confession, Tsumugi just didn’t know where to start first. She wanted to make them feel assured that everything was alright; she wanted to tell them that her husband had also a childish side. 

“Um, we said sorry to him then–” Before Tennard could continue his detailed elaboration, she stooped down and embraced them tightly.

“Miss Tsumugi…”

“Ah…I miss this…,” Tsumugi continued to nuzzle their heads as she pressed them against her.

“Miss Tsumugi, no hate?”

“Of course not! I actually thought you hate me…”

“We will never hate Miss Tsumugi!”

“Mhmm! Mhmm! Then Miss Tsumugi forgive me and Ten-nii?”

Tsumugi raised their bangs and kissed their foreheads, a gesture almost similar with what they have received from Gakphonse.

“Ah. I envy the kids. They already got a kiss from you,” Gakphonse complained jokingly after he finished sauntering toward them. She giggled at him and stood up, giving him a kiss on his right cheek. He returned it on her left cheek.

“Aaaaaah!! Miss Tsumugi!! Question!! Question!!”

“What is it?”

“Sir Gaky kiss, Miss Tsumugi happy?”

He was asking if she also felt happy after receiving a kiss from Gakphonse, the same feeling that the red head felt earlier.

“E-E-E-E-E-Eh? W-W-W-W-W-What a-a-a-a-are y-y-y-y-you t-t-t-t-talking a-a-about?” She stammered, ears swiftly turning into red like his husband’s too.

“Like this!”

Riknard gave Tennard a peck on his left cheek. Tennard was quite surprised with the sudden display of affection but it didn’t take long after he chuckled at Riknard. The older brother grabbed the younger one’s hands and tiptoed, planting a kiss on his forehead like the one he always gave him before he would sleep.

Forgetting the question thrown at her, Tsumugi went to Gakphonse’s side.

“I thought you’d cry too,” Gakphonse kidded as he caressed her head.

“I thought too haha! But…I feel like I should keep on smiling for them.”

“Then save the tears for me? Wow, can’t believe my rivals are brats.”

“Honey!”

Gakphonse friskily laughed, which caught the attention of the twins.

“At least, they’re planets better than Tsukumo.”

“Honey…”

“Tsukumo?” They asked wonderingly as they went to fill the space between the couple. Gakphonse grabbed Tennard’s left hand since Riknard was clutching on his right. He stared down the twins and alerted them about someone baneful.

“Yeah. Tennard, Riku, remember this. Brat plus shit equals Tsukumo.”

The twins had no idea “what” “tsukumo” was. For Tennard who knew that the two words were used in a bad context, he assumed that “tsukumo” entailed something unpleasant. So he just nodded in response at the tall man. For Riknard who was truly clueless, he just copied his brother and nodded too.

“Honey! What are you teaching them!?” Tsumugi slapped Gakphonse’s upper arm.

“Teaching them how to get rid of a level 100 cockroach.”

He said in an unexpressive manner before leading the twins inside the carnival’s gate. She sighed. 

“Won’t you be late for the assembly? I think there are many delegates already when we arrived at the station. I can just go with Tennard and Riku. We’ve already have a hotel to stay.”

“It’s just the opening ceremony for today.”

“Then how talking with the other leaders? I’m sure there’s a lot to discuss regarding the territory.”

“No big deal. I’ll just miss one dinner with them.”

“Would you be skipping the first day too if we’re not with you?”

“Yes.”

End. She’d just talk about it later. As she reached for Riknard’s right hand and walked with them, she tried to introduce a new topic, “Anyway, why are we here?”

“The kids didn’t enjoy yesterday’s circus. I thought they’d like rides and games more than people.”

She glanced at the kids between them. True enough, they kept on exploring the vast area with their twinkling eyes and gasping mouths.

“Hahaha! I think they do!”

The sound of her laugh snapped him out from his icy state. “Ah…! Tsumugi, sorry…”

“Why don’t we enjoy ourselves too then? It’s been so long since I’ve gone to a carnival!” She was trying to cloud his memories of the recent conversation.

He ruefully smiled at the glittering pink eyes that met his gaze. “Yeah. When was it, before we got married?”

“Mhmm! And we’re with Dad and Banri too!”

“Haha! We should pay them a visit soon. I’ll make sure to hoard rabbit feeds for Dad.”

“I’m sure he’ll love it! And don’t forget to bring Yukieu and Momorle with us!”

“Ah. Yeah. Those three are like brothers from different parents.”

Their dialogue was interrupted by a harmonized shriek.

“WAH!”

When the couple looked at the kids they were holding, they were staring at the gigantic silver teddy bear hanging on a stall.

“Miss Tsumugi, big teddy bear look Sir Gaky hair!”

“Ah! Miss Tsumugi! Can we play? I have the money you gave us – Oh…It’s in my bag…” His messenger bag was left at the hotel.

“Ten-nii! No worry! Me took 4 emergency coins!” Riknard removed his hands from their grasps and shook his walnut-colored shorts.

“Really! That’s great, Riku! So, Miss Tsumugi! Can we?”

“Hahaha! Sure! I’ll cheer you on!” She patted their backs before they ran to the stall owner: He was an orange-haired man in a short stature. The owner almost sank underground after seeing the pair of three-year-old-kids paying one gold coin. When he glanced behind them, he saw a waving angel in yellow and a man in all black – black collared sleeves, black pants, black boots, and black aura – with crossed arms. Wait. THAT WAS HIS IDOL! THAT WAS GENERAL GAKPHONSE! The owner hiccupped in shock and saluted at him before he handed the toy guns at the kids, telling them that they should just feel free to refill their ammos.

The couple watched the twins tiptoed at the side, hopping a few times after they received the toy guns with unlimited tries for popping the balloons in varied colors and sizes. Riknard aimed at the red, yellow, and blue balloons while Tennard aimed at the orange, green, and violet ones. Since they were too short – and cute, the stall owner was very biased in letting them stand on a wooden bench situated two yards, instead of four, away from the targets.

Luck was on their side but the twins had sloppy firing skills. Ten minutes passed and they just kept on shooting in between their targets. Only if it was the timbered wall that they had to aim. 

Gakphonse leaned closer to his wife who was watching in disbelief with him. “Honey.”

“Wait, Honey! They might have this one!”

“Are you reminded of someone? Because I sure am.”

“Look! They are – Gakphonse!” She slapped his arm again.

“Hahahaha! Seriously, there’s more to play.”

Gakphonse appeared behind the twins and took both of their toy guns in hands.

“Wah!” Squealed by them who almost went up with their toy guns.

“Tennard, Riku. Watch closely,” Gakphonse instructed as he surveyed the guns and the proximity of the targets.

“Sir Gaky, it’s hard…,” Tennard sighed.

Fifty balloons.

“Sir Gaky shot?” Riknard pointed at the balloons.

Wavy arrangement.

“Yeah. Like how I shoot my way to my wife’s heart.”

Lock.

Gakphonse effortlessly moved his hands as he produced fifty consecutive popping noises.

“WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH…………,” the twins, altogether with the stall owner and a few audiences who stopped by catch sigh of Gakphonse’s cool stunts, awed in amazement.

After emptying the timbered wall and receiving a loud applause from his spectators, he winked and smirked at his wife who was holding her breath. 

The twins would claim their prize, but Gakphonse said that they could just claim it before they go back to the hotel since it was too gigantic to carry around. The stall owner then handed the change to the twins but the general insisted, “Keep it. That’s the tip for making my wife fall in love with me again.”

The stall owner vowed to keep the gold coin and the toy guns Gakphonse used as the relics of his life.

Afterwards, the twins spent time with Tsumugi by trying out the carousel and the ferris wheel, which were the only rides Tennard approved for them to hop on. If Riknard screamed and laughed too much, he might also have an attack. Based on her observations, Tsumugi concluded that Riknard had an asthma. It was painful to turn down the red-haired boy’s requests, but it would be more painful to see him fighting with his breath. And the pain would be double just by seeing a fretting Tennard. Fortunately, Gakphonse could easily persuade Riknard in missing out some rides, saying that riding his back was much more fun than riding those. Throughout their stroll around the carnival, Gakphonse was piggybacking Riknard while Tennard was carried by Tsumugi.

When it was lunchtime, the twins compromised for yesterday’s lack of desserts, which was a good thing because they were truly back to their normal condition. Gakphonse suggested they let the twins roam around the carnival by themselves. Tsumugi was reluctant to give her permission, but Tennard assured her that they won’t get lost. Riknard also said that nothing bad would happen to them because they received a lot of kisses from Angel Tsumugi and Angel Gakphonse. In the end, Tsumugi agreed in the condition that they should meet them in front of the very first stall they dropped by at 5 p.m. sharp.

During her alone time with her husband, she was filled in details by the twins’ backstory. He thought it would take hours to comfort her but treating her cotton candies with the same colors as the twins’ hairs made her recover quickly, saying that she’d do her best to give them happy memories, as happy as they were making her. Her remark got him thinking, but he had thirteen more days to consider it. Very carefully.

Came the agreed time and the couple saw the twins excitingly chatting with the stall owner.

“Miss Tsumugi! Sir Gaky! Quick! Quick!” Riknard waved his hands in the air. Tennard had his hidden behind his back.

“What good boys you are!” Tsumugi praised, patting their heads. They grinned at her brightly as they exchanged stares.

“Tennard, what’s wrong with your hands?” Gakphonse curiously asked at the boy who had his hands hidden behind his back.

“Secret.”

“Don’t be a brat. What’s that?”

“Honey!” Tsumugi pinched his right cheek.

“Ouch!”

“So Miss Tsumugi is a brat too because she always says secret?”

“Hey, don’t call my wife a – Ouch!”

Tsumugi stomped on his right foot and smiled at him, though the smile was rather blood-curdling.

“But Tsukumo brat…Ten-nii brat too?”

“Listen, Riku. Your brother is a brat only. Tsukumo is a combined brat and shit – Shit!” Gakphonse felt a heavy, gale-supported spank on his right butt that caused him to lose his balance. “Tsumugi, that hurts!”

“Then zip your lips and let the twins talk, okay?” Her chilling smile shouldn’t be ignored.

“Y-Y-Yeah. I’ll shut up. Sorry.”

The twins suppressed their laughter at the troubled man, with Riknard covering his brother’s mouth with his available hand for him.

“Soooooooooooo! What do you have there, Tennard?”

“Thing like Miss Tsumugi!” Riknard hinted.

“Ooooh!” Tsumugi wanted to say “angel” but that would be so ridiculous.

“Tada!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Tennard presented to her a bunny plush.

“Uwaaah! It’s so cute!” Tsumugi took the faint pink rabbit toy and began compressing it between her hands. “Sooooooo fluffy! Thank you, Tennard! Riku!”

“Miss Tsumugi! Sky! Later! Boom! Booom! Boooooom!” Riknard pointed at the orange-hued sky.

“Sure! What time is it?”

“Ten like Ten-nii hehehe!!!”

“Wait, Riku. That’s too late. We can’t go,” Tennard interrupted. It would be too cold for Riknard.

“Eh…,” Riknard’s brows expressed his dismay. “Me wear many clothes so no cough…”

“…Still a no…” Tennard knew that firecrackers and fireworks would cover the surroundings with smoke.

“Ten-nii…”

Gakphonse tapped Tsumugi’s shoulder, gesturing a horizontal line on his lips. Not waiting for her signal, he lifted the red head, making him sit on his shoulders. “It’s alright, Riku. We can watch the boom boom from our room.”

For some reasons, it was easy for Gakphonse to calm the kid. “Hehe. Okay!”

“H-H-Honey, Riku might fall –” Tsumugi worriedly cautioned, placing her hand behind Riknard’s lower back.

“Nah. Don’t worry. I got this kid,” he haughtily declared as he claimed the big silver teddy bear from the stall.

“O-Okay…”

“How about you, Tennard? Want a ride?”

“Huh?” Tennard confusedly raised a brow.

“Like this!”

“W-wah!”

“Haha! Your screams never get old!”

“Hahaha! Ten-nii too! Ride!”

Tennard found himself sitting on Gakphonse’s arm as his tiny hands clutched the man’s shoulder.

“Ah! Let me carry the teddy bear!” Tsumugi took the stuffed toy from the counter and hugged it.

“You know, you can also ride me if you want,” Gakphonse offered his free arm.

A red line was painted across her face. “T-T-That sounds so wrong, you know…!”

“Hahaha! – Oh!” He suddenly exclaimed in a slightly high-pitched manly voice. “Tennard! Riku! Look! There’s a flying teddy bear over there!” He pointed at the ferris wheel on their right side.

“Eh!?” The twins yelped in unison, turning their heads to the right direction. 

Tsumugi also wanted to verify the unbelievable scene given the expression and the voice that Gakphonse let out, but instead of facing the ferris wheel, she found her body pulled suddenly by an arm around her waist. Her eyes closed voluntarily when she felt her husband’s lips on hers, locked tightly.

The replenishing of energy lasted fairly long for the couple, courtesy of Riknard’s curiosity and Tennard’s determination in finding the flying teddy bear.

* * *

Thirteen days flew fast.

Their first three days at the North was not as pleasant as they expected. It rained for three days which added up to the cold temperature. At first, it was only Riknard who was under the weather, but Tennard also fell ill. Their frail bodies were not yet good in coping. During those days, Gakphonse would only spend his time on his official agenda until the afternoon, hurrying to assist Tsumugi in taking care of the twins or else, she would also get herself sick from getting worked up. He advised to go back to the village where they first stayed, saying that he won’t mind travelling the carriage back and forth.

When they returned there, the weather was finally in favor to them. The twins fully recovered and Tsumugi brought them out to wander around the city. She bought new apparels for them, particularly thicker and warmer ones. She also made sure to make them eat healthier food so the nutrients could help them be more physically fit. 

One day, the twins woke up earlier than the couple and they would imitate the “morning ritual” Gakphonse always did without them knowing. Once caught by Tsumugi, she advised them not to do those because they were too young for those kind of exercises. Instead, Gakphonse just resorted to his “alternative ritual.” The next day, he jogged with the twins at 6 a.m. while Tsumugi was still asleep. Much to her surprise when she took a bath with the twins the same morning, both of them had wounds on their knees, earning Gakphonse a very, very, very quibbling blast on his ear, making him late for his meeting – which he didn’t mind at all because Tsumugi’s lecture was a blessing in disguise for not seeing the shit plus brat equals you know who. When he returned from work, he made a peace offering to her by buying a pair of three-wheeled bicycle for the twins. The twins badly wanted to ride their bikes but their knees still hurt when being stretched.

But Gakphonse really wanted to make up with the three angels so he thought of a new form of his exercise – which turned into a wonderful leisure later on. During the four days that the twins’ open wounds were still unbearable, Gakphonse improvised a handle that was attached at the back of the bicycles so he and Tsumugi could pull them like they were in baby strollers. That way, not only that the twins won’t have to pedal but he could also bathe under the morning sunshine with his lovely wife. For all the dazzling smiles that she showered him and the cheers of amusement that kept on echoing along the open area of the humble village – many thanks that they were away from the public had they chose to stay at the North – he knew that he was absolved.

During the days when the twins could finally ride the bike on their own, Gakphonse was just lending his full ears to Tsumugi, who was delightfully imagining an array of possibilities had they been real parents. Their home would have a larger garden; they would take a stroll every morning; more rooms would be allocated for the children; portraits would decorate the halls, and so on. But at their eleventh day, he himself imagined it – more like, he finally voiced it out – the dream that has been in Tsumugi’s mind since they went to the carnival: “What if Tennard and Riknard were our children?”

When the twins turned their bikes around to call them, they were surprised to see Tsumugi, crying yet happily smiling in her husband’s arms as she was swirled around gently. But it was more surprising to see Gakphonse, whose handsome face features stood out even more with the tears his joyful eyes couldn’t help to spill as well. They pedaled faster toward them but both just had to seize the brakes when the couple shared a kiss without any warning.

“Uwa –” Riknard’s screech was stopped by Tennard’s hand.

“Close your eyes, Riku!” Tennard’s demanding voice was in whisper.

“But Ten-nii, your eyes not closed!” Riknard’s way of speaking was the same, but his grammar was becoming more sophisticated due to interacting with Tsumugi and Gakphonse.

“I’ll close them once you close yours!”

“Why close eyes though?”

“Because – Just because!”

“Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky just kissing though?”

“You’ll be blind if you see them kiss!”

“E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-Eh!?!?!?!?!??!?!? Ten-nii!!!!! Close eyes!!!!!”

“Close your eyes first, Riku!”

“Then let’s close same time!”

Tennard’s hand covered Riknard’s eyes while Riknard covered Tennard’s.

“What are you two doing?” A red-nosed Gakphonse asked.

“I’m protecting Riku’s innocence,” Tennard answered in a flat voice and flat brows.

“Ten-nii said we will be blind with Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky kissing,” Riknard honestly defended.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!? Y-Y-Y-You saw us!?”

“Hahaha! That’s one damn joke, Ten – Ouch!”

Tsumugi removed the twins’ hands from the eyes of one another. “If I kiss your foreheads, can you erase what you saw from your memories?”

“No,” they deadpanned. What? Even Riknard could say “no” in that way?

“W-W-W-Why?” Tsumugi was still fuming from her blush. 

Tennard grinned with his two index fingers at both sides of his lips. “Because Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky look happy!”

“Happy kissing hehehe!” Riknard added in detail.

It was the second time that Gakphonse was late for a meeting, though it was not something he should stress himself about. At least, he was able to discuss with his wife all the crucial procedures that they had to arrange in order to legally adopt the two angels. As agreed, Tsumugi would write a letter to Yukieu, asking him to prepare some documents. Moreover, Gakphonse still efficiently completed the necessary inspections regarding the upgraded security at the northern fortress and the audits for allocating funds for the training of the newly hired soldiers.

But when he arrived from work, Tsumugi didn’t expect him to be in a bad mood after an extremely blissful morning that they have shared. He said that the emperor ordered for the audience of everyone at the banquet he would be hosting at their last day at the North. It would take place at the palace hall which was recently built. Gakphonse thought that they could return already to the capital tomorrow, but his plans were ruined by a single higher order from someone he shouldn’t be following. One more thing that he was upset at was, when the emperor said “everyone,” he meant everyone who went with the delegates. There was a sadly good number of aristocracies and soldiers who saw them – Tsumugi and the twins included – at the two train stations and if he went alone to the banquet, nobles would just give birth to rumors.

During the evening of their twelfth day, Gakphonse went home earlier to be with Tsumugi in putting an end to their misery. He couldn’t believe that approaching two adorable harmless children in pajamas was orbits more nerve-racking than stabbing a spy from behind. He hated it also – how anticlimactic the occasion was, but Tsumugi thought that maybe, a simple serene conversation at night was better when it came to life-changing matters.

“Tennard, Riku, come here!” Tsumugi invited, patting the large space on the white chaise longue between her and her husband who were already in their nightwear too, pink and blue respectively. The twins willingly followed and climbed up the seat.

“I’ll ask you many questions and you just have to answer me as honest as you could, okay?” Tsumugi said in a mellow tone, emphasizing the word honest.

The twins sensed a queer atmosphere. It was not a time for flimflams.

“I’ll ask you Tennard first. What do you think of me?”

“Miss Tsumugi is an angel.”

Whenever someone called his wife an angel, Gakphonse, second to his father-in-law, Otoharu, was all proud above heavens. Even he himself couldn’t help to smile. Tsumugi beamed at the ivory head but she shook her head. “Other than being an angel, what or how do you think of me?”

“Umm…,” finding the appropriate words, Tennard kept blinking at the carpeted floor. “Miss Tsumugi is very nice, always saving me and Riku from trouble. I cannot think of any other word.”

“How about you, Riku? What do you think of me?”

“Miss Tsumugi is like the sun. So bright and always shine. Smiling all times too.”

Tsumugi exchanged gazes at Gakphonse.

“Then, how about me? What do you think of me, Riku?”

“Umm…” Riknard glanced at the ceiling as if waiting for an answer to fall upon him. “Sir Gaky is the luckiest man because married Miss Tsumugi.”

Kids don’t lie. Gakphonse’s facial muscles naturally contracted a big smile at the red head. “Is that all?”

“Hmm…Ah! Sir Gaky so strong because can raise me and Ten-nii both arms. Sir Gaky so sweet because always makes Miss Tsumugi happy. Sir Gaky so rich because buying toys and food every day for us. But Sir Gaky busy too because has work.”

“Ah. I see. Tennard, what about you?”

“Sir Gaky is a nice person too.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Is that really all?”

“…”

Gakphonse stood from the seat and walked a few steps away. But if he took one more step, he knew that the whole conversation would be all sugar-coated. He then spun around and walked again toward them, kneeling one knee on the floor. He looked directly at Tennard and stroke his head. 

“Can’t you be more honest?”

Tennard’s eyes grew large but at the same time, they glinted as if they took a critical hit.

“Because I really wish you could be.”

Eventually, Tennard’s eyes glistened as his tears revealed themselves.

“I’m scared.”

Yes, that’s that. The honest answer that Gakphonse and Tsumugi were talking about.

“I’m scared because Miss Tsumugi is very nice. She will never say anything that will hurt me and Riku even if she’s hurting herself.”

“And me?”

“I’m scared because Sir Gaky always brings his sword. If we make you mad, you can kill me and Riku easily.”

Gakphonse was very disturbed with his statement. “W-What made you think of that?”

“Sir Gaky is only nice to Miss Tsumugi but not to other people. Riku and I…We belong to other people.”

“Tennard…,” Tsumugi softly whispered. She would rub his back to ease his breathing, but Riknard did it first.

“Ten-nii…Don’t cry…” Riknard wiped his brother’s tears with his free hand.

“Riku. Do you feel the same way? Are you scared of me too?”

Surprisingly, Riknard faced the man in front of them with unwavering eyes. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“If Sir Gaky did bad thing to me and Ten-nii, Miss Tsumugi will cry.”

“Why will my wife cry for you?”

“Because Miss Tsumugi is our guardian angel.”

As much as she wanted to interfere, Tsumugi knew it was better to leave the situation to her husband. 

When Tennard calmed down, Gakphonse continued his interrogation. “Say, Tennard. Why do you keep on forcing yourself to be an adult? Don’t you know you’re miles away from stepping on the legal age?”

“It’s for Riku.”

“How about yourself?”

“If something bad happens to Riku, I won’t forgive myself.”

“Why are you all about Riku?”

“Because I love Riku.”

“Don’t you love yourself?”

“I…”

“You?”

“I love myself. But if I love myself more than I love Riku, I will be like our parents.”

“In what way?”

“They love themselves more than they love their own children.”

“Is that wrong?”

“Yes. Because it’s a love that kills.”

“I see.”

Gakphonse ended the series of their breathtaking dialogue. But there’s one more.

“Riku. Don’t you feel bad for your brother?”

“Honey!” Tsumugi expressed her disapproval on his question. It was very sensitive.

But Riknard didn’t hesitate in replying to the man. “I do.”

“What are you doing to help him?”

“I pray and I sing for Ten-nii.”  
  
“What do you pray for?”

“For Ten-nii to be safe so Ten-nii can return home.”

“Just one prayer?”

“For Ten-nii to be strong so Ten-nii will not be sick like me.”

“That’s all?”

“For Ten-nii to always love me even if I cough a lot.”

“Any more?”

“For Miss Tsumugi to be happy because I really like Miss Tsumugi smiling face.”

“Any other more?”

“For mom and dad to be rich so mom and dad will not sell me and Ten-nii again when mom and dad see me and Ten-nii.”

Tennard flinched at the sudden depth of Riknard’s line.

“I know you’re a good kid, Riku. What else do you pray for?”

“For the shops not sell sacks so no kid will be inside sacks again.”

“What else?”

“For hospitals be free so all sick kids like me can go there.”

“Anything else?”

“…”

Riknard dropped his gaze at his socked feet and Gakphonse knew that he still had something to let out. Tennard also thought of the same. He would know his younger brother’s actions, but never in his three years of age he felt such uneasiness with a very reserved Riknard.

After a few moments of silence, Riknard finally spoke.

“I pray that I’m not born so Ten-nii will not suffer.”

“Rik…Riknard…!”

Tennard’s unusual cry of his brother’s name was a mixture of all human emotions his heart contained.

“I pray that I’m not Ten-nii’s twin –”

“Riknard! What are you saying –”

“I pray that I’ll die so Ten-nii can be free.”

Tennard’s tears was met by Riknard’s wide grin.

“Why are you saying those things…”

“For Ten-nii.”

“I don’t need those kind of prayers…”

“Don’t worry, Ten-nii. When I become an angel, I will –”

“Stop it…Riku…”

“I will always sing for Ten-nii when Ten-nii sleeps.”

“Riku…”

“Because I love Ten-nii.”

Tennard started to cry balls of tears again. How long has it been since Riknard was thinking like that? And he was saying everything without any difficulty. Without errs in his way of expressing himself. Without any sorrow. Without any tears. Just all smiles.

When did Riknard become stronger than him?

Gakphonse stared at Tsumugi whose eyes were glistering from shedding twice the tears Tennard was weeping. When she felt his gaze, she knew that his part was done. It was all up to her now. Could she manage to continue? Her husband was an expert in bringing out matters within and from a person – that was just one part of his job – be it a top secret, coded message, valuable information, and even buried emotions. But what about her? What was she good at? It was being kind, right? What they wanted to do for the kids was kindness, right? Or, was it just them taking advantage of their misfortune to grant their dreams?

No. She should make up her mind so she could reach their heart. Sniffing her final woe, she cleared her throat and expelled the chains that always constricted her in being brave. She joined him on the floor, kneeling her knees that were covered by her long pink nightwear.

She cupped the twins’ cheeks to face her. “Tennard? Riku?”

Tennard wiped his nose again while Riknard remained poker-face. Between them, it was definitely the red-haired who was prepared to take shield themselves from bullets.

“If you have one wish that you really, really want to be granted, what would you wish for?”

“I..,” Tennard swiftly murmured. He clutched onto Riknard’s right hand and gazed at him with wavering eyes. “I wish Riku will get better so we can be together. Always.” His grip tightened at his last word.

“How about Riku’s wish?”

A serious Riknard, returning Tennard’s gaze, took his time in thinking about it. After all, he had verbalized all his prayers earlier. Was he allowed to ask for one more? He turned his head to look at Gakphonse, who was also wearing an inscrutable expression on his face. After a few seconds, he then stared at Tsumugi to give his answer.

“I wish Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky were our mom and dad.”

Tsumugi’s heartbeat stopped for a second. Gakphonse’s mask shattered.

Riknard was enveloped by all the descriptions associated with angels and angelic. His voice. His expression. His eyes. His smile. And from Tennard’s perspective, his brother just flapped his wings. Maybe, he could also take a flight with him.

Taking the speechlessness of the couple as an opportunity to be more honest – to prove to them that he deserved to be Riknard’s very first angel – he also voiced out.

“I also wish Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky were our parents.”

“Tennard…Riku…,” the couple whispered at the same time.

“But after we go back to the capital, everything will return to normal. Riku and I will be just two of the kids Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky are helping out. I bet, many kids like us want the same thing. To have nice parents like Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky.”

“Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky help me and Ten-nii because I am sick. If Miss Tsumugi and Sir Gaky stay with us because I cough a lot, I don’t like it. I need no umm…Sad feelings? Pity? Because Ten-nii is already okay for me.”

“Riku,” Gakphonse called, interfering the alternate responses from the twins. “Do you know that my wife often cries?”

“H-Honey...! –”

He lightly placed his index on her lips. “Shh.”

“Mhmm. Miss Tsumugi cries like me.”

“Do you think she’s weak when she cries?”

“Sometimes.”

“Do you think I married my wife because of pity?”

“No…,” Riknard’s voice gradually turned softer as he shook his head lightly. It was like Gakphonse’s frank questions sank on the red head.

“How about you, Tennard? Do you think I love my wife because I feel bad whenever she cries?”

“No,” Tennard quickly replied. He knew where the man was coming from. Tennard’s love and care for Riknard was not a result of feeling bad for his sickly condition.

“Then the same goes for the two of you.”

“You see,” Tsumugi quickly picked up, “We…We’ve been thinking about it for a few days…” She took a deep breath and placed her clenched fists on her throbbing chest.

“Will you let us become your parents?”

The twins’ eyes widened. “E-Eh…?”

“It’s true that I love helping children, but…It feels so different when it comes to you, Tennard, Riku. I don’t know when it started...The feeling that I don’t want to leave you two alone. I just find myself wondering what you two are doing until…Until I wanted to give you everything that I can. And that means I want to give you my love. It sounds selfish of me, but…I want to keep you by my side…As in…It’s not enough to see you every day…I want to stay with you two…I want to take care of you…I want to hear you laughing…I want to watch you have fun together…”

“Miss Tsumugi…”

“I want to be your mother,” Tsumugi smiled as she spilled tears again. “And if I may add, my husband is a brat when it comes to children haha!”

“H-honey!” Gakphonse couldn’t avoid the comeback which was tripled when the twins chuckled at him.

“So…Having the same wish as Tennard and Riku…No, hearing the same wish from you two, can you be –”

“Mommy Tsumugi!”

All of a sudden, Riknard jumped from his seat and wrapped his arms around Tsumugi’s neck.

“Mommy…,” Tsumugi mumbled, arms still not moving from her sides.

Tennard stood on the floor and went to her to wipe her tears, despite he himself crying too. “Mommy Tsumugi…”

“Mommy…Yes…Yes, Yes…! I’m your Mommy!”

Tsumugi enveloped her arms around the twins and embraced them very closely to her. To her heart in paradise. Gakphonse let the three divine creatures beside him cherish their moment as he himself was still occupied by erasing the existence of the tears at the edges of his eyes.

Then he found his back landing on the floor because of two rapid bodies that pounded against his chest.

“Daddy Gaky!” The two kids above him excitedly called.

“Damn…You two are getting fat!”

“Hehe…! Daddy Yucky…! Nose is still dripping!” Riknard repeatedly pinched Gakphonse’s nose.

“Hehe…Daddy Silly keeps on feeding us. And correction. We’re not fat. We’re just healthy.” Tennard stuck out his tongue and pulled down his lower eyelid.

“The fuck?” Gakphonse knitted his brows.

“Fuck…?” Riknard tilted his head leftward.

“Fuck?” Tennard tilted his head rightward.

“Honey!” Tsumugi slammed Gakphonse’s laps.

“Ouch!”

“Mommy, what is fuck?” The twins – no – their twins innocently asked at their mother.

“Don’t listen to –” Tsumugi pulled them up from her husband’s chest.

“That’s what we do when we make love – Ouch! Tsumugi!” Gakphonse yelled in pain. Yes, Tsumugi stomped on his right hand with all her body weight. Since when did her feather-light body evolved into an iron hammer?

“Listen, Tennard, Riku. If I hear you saying that word, I’ll never make you eat desserts, okay?” Tsumugi’s furrowed brows depicted how grave, life-and-sweets matter the word was.

“Eh…Okay!”

“Anyway!” Tsumugi clapped once. “It’s time to sleep!”

“Ah! I want to sleep with Mommy!” Tennard eagerly announced, lifting his two arms.

“Me too! Me too! I want to sleep with Mommy!” Riknard exactly copied.

“Me too! Me too! I want to sleep with my wife!” Gakphonse playfully voiced.

“Hahahahaha…!” The twins heartily laughed at their father.

“And I want to sleep with my kids too,” he continued.

“Hahaha…Ah…,” the laughter escaped their lips with a trailing sound until their lips trembled. Not long after, their eyes followed.

“Honey! What did you do!?” Gakphonse’s shoulder earned a slam from her before she hushed them.

Gakphonse and his body didn’t anticipate their unforeseen reactions. “Ha? What? I thought we’re done with the crying stuff?” 

“Ah…Sorry…,” Tennard murmured. “I…I’m just happy…”

“Mhmm…! Mhmm…! Me too! Daddy Gaky call us…His kids…,” Riknard seconded.

“Why not? I’m your Daddy from now. The most handsome daddy in the universe,” Gakphonse declared. He ruffled their twins’ hairs before he lifted them on his shoulders.

“Hehe…Daddy Corny…!” Riknard chortled.

“Pfft!” Tennard tried to conceal it but Gakphonse being corny was a universal fact. The man wanted to riposte but he felt deadly daggers striking his back. 

“Nah. I’m just sleepy. Daddy Sleepy.” He slowly crouched on the floor so the two boys could transfer to the larger bed in the room.

Upon creeping on the center space, the kids immediately sat on the cushiony bed. Their parents followed: Tsumugi on the right, beside Riknard while Gakphonse on the left, beside Tennard.

Tennard kissed his twin’s forehead and smiled. “Good night, Riku.” 

Riknard did the same. “Night night, Ten-nii!”

Tennard turned to Tsumugi then to Gakphonse. He was blushing but he couldn’t hide the sweet grin that was glued on his face. “Good night, Mommy, Daddy.”

“Night night too! Mommy! Daddy!” Riknard’s gleeful vibes clouded away Tennard’s sheepishness.

“We don’t get a kiss?” Gakphonse asked but deep inside him, he just wanted to receive two more kisses before he called it a day.

“Hehe…,” they giggled. Tennard slightly raised his neck to give his father a kiss on his right cheek while Riknard temporarily kneeled and gave him a kiss on his left cheek.

“Don’t forget me too!” Tsumugi pointed at herself as she earnestly beamed at them. This time, they just exchanged their actions.

“A’ight! Daddy’s gonna sing you lullabies so you better sleep!” The bed creaked loudly as Gakphonse plopped his back on the bed, stretching his right arm.

“Uwaaah!! Long arm!!” Riknard’s eyes twinkled as he lightly slapped the white powdered-color skin before he made it his pillow

“…Daddy must be bathing in snow…,” Tennard was still gawking at his incredibly pale skin even after resting head on it.

Tsumugi tucked her hair behind his ears and leaned to kiss their children’s foreheads. “Sweet dreams, Tennard, Riku.”

“Yeah. Sweet dreams to my angels,” Gakphonse endearingly said. He kissed their sons’ foreheads before he leaned to plant a kiss on his wife’s nose. “I love you.”

Tsumugi returned the affection and quickly gave him a peck on his right cheek. “I love you too!”

“We love you too…,” their children drowsily said. 

When the couple glanced down at them, their eyelids were already fulfilling the curtain role. Tsumugi extended her left arm to wrap them in her love as Gakphonse grabbed the blanket and tucked themselves.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little stars. They are Riku and Tennard. They are angels from above. We’ll love them with all our heart. Twinkle, twinkle, little stars. Riku and Tennard, our sons…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ༼ಢ_ಢ༽ What did I just do with my life ༼ಢ_ಢ༽
> 
> I have so many things to say in my end notes but everything flew away as soon as I’m typing it now. I blame Yaotomemes (≖͞_≖̥)
> 
> I apologize because I have an irregular update schedule but as stated in my profile, I’ll never abandon my stories! If ever I’ll post new chapters, they'll be extras or short updates for the next kid to be adopted :D
> 
> For now, I’ll go review for JLPT5 and hopefully, I’ll be one of your i7 translators in the future once I’m proficient enough (இ﹏இ`｡) Everything for our boizzzzz huhu T_T 
> 
> I’m not plugging anything but if you’d like to have chitchats (and fangirl) with me, I’m just a pm away on FB: www.facebook.com/IDOLiSH7andTRIGGER
> 
> P.S. I’ll just edit my typos and errors later coz my eyes really hurt right now lol
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


	6. Extra: When They First Met

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow!! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ I'm gonna work on the main flow after the Christmas long one-shots and my other chapter-story (≖͞_≖̥)
> 
> P.S. done editing after i commit a big error OTL

"Merry Christmas!"

A lissom blond-haired lady with a radiant smile that thawed all snowflakes around her greeted to the towering silver-haired man with a gaping expression even the frosty mountain couldn't crack.

"What the actual fuck is a lady doing here?"

It was supposed to be an introspection but his tongue couldn't conceal how flabbergasted he was. He was about to continue his "commander mode" but her whole body began quivering. Her rosy cheeks turned pale too.

"M-My bad. I mean, Merry Christmas too, Miss. But you do know where you are, don't you?" His voice tried to keep it cool and calm. Unlike the military camp his troops has been defending for three months.

From shaking like a leaf to a stiff body, she stammered. "Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes...!"

Her face was back to normal, though a bit saturated in color. When her thin lips stopped trembling, he noticed that the color of her faded pink coat matched them. But what made him form a smile was the way she overcame her own response.

It was short-lived though. "If that's the case, then pleaseー" 

He couldn't continue at the sight of her whose alluring smile returned to her face. He smacked his face on his palm.

To cover his blushing face.

She's cute.

"Umm...Are you alright?" Her concerned voice was also cute.

When he removed his hand to glance at her, she's past beyond the word cute.

"I'm alright. But," he paused to remove his gray coat and put it on her. "Please do mind yourself too."

Her body jerked at the sudden action. When his face got closer to hers, she couldn't help from staring at his fine features. But the creeping warmth on her face also brought her back to the chilly environment.

"O-Oh! Thank you!" She clutched on his large coat. "Umm...I'm part of the medical team...," she murmured.

He covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "I see. I deeply apologize for earlier. Most of the reinforcements are men. I thought you're lost or something."

"N-N-N-N-No! It's my fault! I should have properly introduced myself ahaha..."

When she giggled with such an adorable voice, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Not when he's seeing flowers around her vibrant aura. And wings. Like a real angel.

"What's your name?" 

"Tsumugi! Tsumugi Takanashi at your service!"

"Ah. You're from the East."

"Hahaha! Yes, I am," she puffed. "How about you?"

If he said his name, would she still keep on talking like that? Would her smile turn into frown because of fear?

"I'm...," he paused to think more about it as his gaze met her curious one. "Gakphonse."

She instantly stopped on her tracks. As he predicted.

Or not.

"General Gakphonse!" She exclaimed, her smile transformed into a wide grin. "You're General Gakphonse!"

"Uhh, yeah?" His voice was as confused as his mind. But not as messy as his beating heart.

"Thank you very much for everything! Many lives are saved because of you!" She took his gloved hands and was slightly shaking them because of her joyous gesture. "Our village really looks up to you! All of us are grateful to your bravery! Also of your men's! That's why we're volunteering right now to assist you!"

He didn't know how to respond. That's the very first time someone, particularly a girl, expressed herself in such manner to him. It's either they flirt and fail or fear and faint.

"Thank you, Tsumugi. Your words really mean a lot."

The gorgeous smile he was giving her made her clutch tighter on his coat. But it's not enough to clutch her heart to control its rapid beating. "Y-Y-Y-You're welcome! I'm glad to help!"

Comfortable with the low affective filter ambience, he let out a chuckle. "I really feel bad for my first impression. Can you please bury it on this mountain?"

She didn't want to act overly familiar but things were just natural. "I will if you join our exchange gifts later!"

"Exchange gifts? How is that possible?" Did anyone have the time to buy presents amidst the ongoing war? Was there a souvenir or gift shop at the border mountain?

"Since it's Christmas, we thought we'll make this day special for the brave soldiers who are here."

"Ah. So how do you do that exchange gifts then?"

She laughed at him. "If you're really that curious, then please come later!"

* * *

The night at the snowy mountain was not freezing as it was commonly. The steams coming from the cooking pots and campfires joined by the festive atmosphere at the camp really built a completely different vibe. It was one of the rare occasions where all soldiers could eat together without worrying anything. The border was secure already. They were just waiting for the rest of their comrades to heal.

Because Gakphonse wanted everyone to return in a good state of mind. It may not be physically but at least, the pride and joy in serving their kingdom would always be forever engraved in them.

"So whose idea is this?" 

Gakphonse watched in squinting eyes as his men either whine like a baby or laugh out loud. This "spin the bottle" way of exchanging gifts, more like exchanging embarrassing moments, was a chaos in his sanity.

"Secret!"

He grimaced at the all-ears teetering lady beside him. "This is hilarious, Tsumugi. Do you expect me to join thisー"

She covered her awkwardly grinning mouth. "I don't but I think they do haha!" She pointed at the crowd of men who were whistling and cheering for their general.

He grunted under his husky breath as he gave them a sour look, which all of them laughed at.

"Come on, General Gakphonse! Don't ruin the fun for them!" She encouraged.

"Damn it. How can I say no when you're being fucking cute."

Oh.

It's a race among Tsumugi's eyes, cheeks, ears, and heart.

And his tongue. "S-Sorry." He turned his head away.

"I...I...Thank you for the compliment, G-G-General Gakphonse...," she shyly mumbled as she witnessed the portion of his burning ears his long curly hair failed to cover.

"Y-Yeah."

Their blooming attention to each other was further elevated by the current soldier in the spotlight.

"I want Sir Gakphonse to substitute me in my post tonight."

* * *

"Yukieu. I'll remember his name very well."

Gakphonse would remember the gray-haired not because he dared to command his superior but because he gave him a once in a lifetime opportunity to guard an angel. Coincidentally, he's assigned to watch over Tsumugi.

"G-G-General G-G-G-Gakphonse...," she nervously started, "It's fine to turn down...You don't have toー"

"I'm merely complying to the exchange gift rules."

His deep voice in the middle of the night was too much for her ears. "But..." She couldn't believe she'd be a victim of her own idea.

"Relax, Tsumugi. I'll just watch over you. I won't do anything," he assured, still leaning his back against the pole inside the tent.

"T-T-That's not what I'm thinking!" She whispered under the blanket she's gripping. "You should be the one who's resting..."

"Huh?" 

"It's 3 months of fighting, isn't it...And today's Christmas...It's not only about sharing but also reflecting..."

"So what should I reflect on? My identity? My work? How many people I've killed? How many more wars I should win?"

His cold response caused her to be frightened but it vanished the moment she observed him closely. His sharp eyes were distant. His crossed arms kept him in his stance. 

The man is just like any ordinary human being.

"Maybe your life as a whole, General Gakphonse," her serene voice attempted to fill the void in his eyes.

He flinched on realization. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

She shook her head lightly, the back of her head brushing against the blue pillow. "It's better to let out than to bottle up."

He flashed her an apologetic look. "You figured?"

"Secret!"

He smirked at her, "One more secret and I'll kiss you."

Tsumugi's body came unprepared. "W-W-W-Whatー"

It was the 2nd time he chuckled. "Is being cute the new way to seduce men?"

"G-General Gakphonse...!"

"Hahaha! I'm just kidding, Tsumugi"

She heavily exhaled all the stress she had for a minute.

"But I'm not kidding about you being cute," his voice came out crystal clear just like his message.

"W-We just met..."

"And you just rejected me."

"I don't mean it that way...!"

"So I stand a chance?"

Tsumugi wanted to cover her face with the blanket and sleep already but his captivating look kept on making her speak. Truthfully. "I...I don't know...Maybe? I don't know what the future holds so...I can't sayーUwah! What am I saying!"

"Haha! You're too honest."

"P-Please stop t-t-t-teasing me!"

"I get it. Please rest well, Tsumugi."

"Y-Y-You too, General Gakphonse. If...you can."

Just watching his first crush get all flustered marked the first Christmas of his away from home that became merry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! From this GakuTsumu cat lady to you and beyond!!!
> 
> I’ll be very happy to know your comments/feedback!! (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿)


End file.
